Good as Black
by Devielle
Summary: There was a prophecy. There were two kits. One kit would be more evil than the Dark Forest, and the other more admirable than the greatest cat, alive or dead. Moments after the prophecy had been made, Nightkit tried to kill her brother.
1. The prophecy

The prophecy.

 **Hello everyone! Just so you know, this is my first ever (published) fanfiction, so please message me what you think. Also let me know things like embarrassing (and not embarrassing) spelling and grammar errors. Anyway, enough of me! Read on!**

The sun was setting, turning the sky into fiery colours of orange, pink and gold. The huge, silent, lake reflected these colours, and looked like a pond of melted gold. In the middle of the forest by the lake, was a hollow. Inside the hollow, all was silent.

Then a pure white she-cat with emerald green eyes crept out of the medicine cat's den. "I hope Featherwing's alright," She whispered, then shook herself. "Hollyburn won't let anything happen to her."

She glanced up at the colourful sky, then noticed a strange object, falling out of nowhere. When it finally landed, she realised it was actually two feathers, a raven-black one and a shining gold one. Cautiously, the she-cat touched them with her paw.

She wasn't in the camp anymore. There was nothing, no ground, no trees, no sky, and everything was black. No, everything was gold. No, black. Gold. _The black and gold are fighting,_ the snowy cat realised. Then came a sound, that seemed to echo from the nothingness.

"Good and evil shall fight once more, Day and Night in a bloodthirsty war, life against death is the way it will be, the forest will split, it has been foreseen."

Then she was back in the camp. Her first thought was to tell her mentor, Hollyburn, but Hollyburn was with Featherwing. _Why does my first prophecy have to be so dark, and why now!_ She growled to herself.

Then, out of another den, a proud-looking tom emerged. "Featherwing's finished kitting!"

A ginger she-cat followed him. "Two beautiful kits; a she-kit and a tom."

"Hollyburn!" The white she-cat bounded over to her mentor, the ginger she-cat.

"What is it, Icytail?" Hollyburn looked at the pure-white cat.

Instantly Icytail informed her mentor about the prophecy. When she finished, Hollyburn exchanged a worried look with the dark-furred tom. "Featherwing has already named her kits. One is called Nightkit; the golden one Daykit."

Icytail tried to make sense of this information. "So… 'Good and evil shall fight once more'… Daykit and Nightkit are going to fight?"

Hollyburn nodded. "That seems to fit."

"'Day and Night in a bloodthirsty war…'" Icytail mused, "'The forest will be split', the forest will be destroyed?"

The tom had turned from proud to aghast. "One of my kits will be evil?" He croaked.

"And the other will be of the purest good," Hollyburn tried. "I think…"

"But which one…" Icytail pressed.

Hollyburn sighed. "We will just have wait for another sign from StarClan."

Just then a screech echoed around the camp, causing a few groans and complaints to exit the warriors den. "Nightkit! Stop it! Nooo!" A silver she-cat with eyes as green as Icytail's raced out of the nurcery. In her jaws was a little bundle of squirming black fur, with claws unsheathed and teeth beared. Featherwing placed her kit, Nightkit on the ground. "She was trying to kill Daykit!" She panted, her eyes darting all over the place.

"I believe we have found the evil kit…" Hollyburn said.

"It makes sense too- She is black, and black is always the sign of evil," Icytail nodded. "Remember the tales of Firestar and Scourge? Firestar was the good cat, and he was named after a source of light, and Scourge was the bad cat, and- well, you know the story."

"What are you talking about?" Featherwing looked at them.

Not wanting to hear Hollyburn explain to Featherwing how one of her kits was evil, Icytail grabbed some herbs and trotted into the nursery. A little golden kit was curled up, with scratches along his sides. If the wounds weren't looked after carefully, they would scar.

Icytail curled up next to Daykit. "You are my sister's kit," she whispered, "And the kit who shall defeat your evil sister. There is a prophecy about you, and I will work with you to make sure that evil will never set paw by the Lake again. I promise, Daykit."


	2. The second prophecy

The second prophecy

 **Thank you to all of you who replied to my last chapter! It means a lot, thanks so much for your support. I will try to update as regularly as I can, but I really am so sorry if there's a huge gap between updates. I am still figuring out the fanfiction website, and it took me ages to realise how to post a new chapter (:P) but I think I have it now! Also, please message me warrior cat oc, they won't appear in ThunderClan, but probably in other clans! Anyway, thanks for reading this really long author's note, and now read the story!**

The full moon sparkled down on the dew-covered grass, and reflected off the surface of the Lake. A silver she-cat watched it dreamily.

"Silentpaw."

The silver she-cat looked around, startled.

A black she-cat with one white paw emerged from the trees. There seemed to be stars in her fur, and her blue eyes reflected the moon like the Lake.

"Silentpaw," Whitefoot (the black and white cat) repeated. She padded slowly over to the silver cat. "Silentpaw, I have something I need to tell you, and you alone."

The silver cat (Silentpaw) looked at her, but didn't say anything.

"Silentpaw, listen to me. This is important," Whitefoot looked Silentpaw in the eye. "Sometimes you have to stay with the dark, to see the light."

Silentpaw turned her head to the side, confused. Whitefoot smiled. "Everything will become clear soon. But now, your Clan needs you."

The dream began to dissolve, and Silentpaw leaped to her paws. She opened her mouth, as though to call out, but no sound emerged.

She was in the warriors den, not by the lake. Silentpaw scrambled to her paws, when she remembered Whitefoot's words. _I have something I need to tell you, and you alone…_ Whitefoot didn't want anyone else to know about the dream.

Just then Silentpaw heard Thinstar call a clan meeting. She exited the den, and blinked in the bright sunlight.

"Last night two kits were born," Thinstar yowled. He was a wiry tom with brown fur, and loyal to his Clan above all else. "These kits were mine and Featherwing's. But that night Icytail received a prophecy. The prophecy stated that one of the kits was evil, and the other of purist good. It said that the two kits would fight, and that they would tear the forest apart. One kit would kill, the other wouldn't."

"But how do you know which kit is which?" One cat yowled worriedly.

Thinstar looked at the Clan. "Because immedietly after the prophecy was made, Nightkit tried to kill Daykit."

The Clan hissed angrily, mixed in with shocked gasps from the elders and growls from the warriors.

"Exile her, so she dies!" One cat hissed. "Don't let her be part of ThunderClan!" Another growled.

Silentpaw was frozen. _Sometimes you have to stay with the dark to see the light…_ It fits! _I have to stay with the dark_ ( _I suppose that means Nightkit)_ _to see the light!_

When the meeting ended Silentpaw crawled into the nursery. Featherwing was showing Daykit off outside, and no cat wanted to see Nightkit, so the nursery was empty with the exception of the black fur on the ground.

Silentpaw walked up to Nightkit, and sat down. Then she did something she had never done before: she spoke. "You are Nightkit," she whispered, "And the kit who StarClan wants me to protect. I promise StarClan, and I promise you, Nightkit, that I will stay with the dark until I can see the light."


	3. Out of the nursery

Out the nursery

 **Third chapter! Read and enjoy!**

 **-Devielle**

"Wake up!"

"Wha- Huh?" Nightkit slowly opened an eye.

"Wake up!" Daykit repeated. "Come on, let's go outside!"

Nightkit sighed. "Daykit, you know I'm not allowed outside the nursery." _But Featherwing will never tell me why!_ Nightkit added in her head. _Daykit is allowed outside, what's the difference?_

Daykit sighed. "Look, if you get told off, I will take the blame, alright! Come on, Badgerpaw's promised to teach us battle moves!"

"Battle moves?" Nightkit's ears pricked up, but then she sighed. "Featherwing would never let me out the nursery. I'm sorry Daykit."

"Ugh, you are such a pile of stinking fox dung!" Daykit spat. "I bet you will never be able to become a warrior, because you would worry that you might _hurt_ another Clan!"

Anger growled inside Nightkit. How dare Daykit call her names! The fury made her unsheathe her claws, and picture herself clawing her brother to shreds.

But no. Killing is against the warrior code. She wouldn't betray her Clanmates like that. But she really wanted to go outside the nursery…

 _It can't hurt, and I'm sure Featherwing won't mind if I am well behaved, and I haven't ever left the nursery. Featherwing can't tell me off, I am four moons old now!_

"Okay then Daykit," Nightkit half-expected Featherwing to burst into the nursery and attack her for what she had just said.

"Come on!" Daykit bounded out the nursery.

The sun blinded Nightkit for a moment, then she blinked and everything became clear. She had never been outside the nursery before, because Featherwing had banned her, but she had often peaked out of the entrance. The thing that caught her eye the most was the number of cats! Cats with dark fur, cats with light fur, cats small and cats tall, all bustling around the camp.

A small, black tom with a white stripe down his back trotted over to her and Daykit. "Daykit," He rumbled, then saw Nightkit and froze. "What are you doing outside the nursery!" He bellowed.

"I- I- "Nightkit stuttered.

"Featherwing let her," Daykit butted in.

Nightkit stared at him, shocked. How could he lie to a Clanmate like that! She was about to speak up when she realised Badgerpaw _(I think that's him…)_ believed her brother, and was already talking.

"I am going to show you some basic battle moves," Badgerpaw said in that unusually low voice. "You wouldn't normally be taught these until you become an apprentice, but I think you will like them."

"Really!" Nightkit gave a little bounce of excitement.

Badgerpaw swung his head aroung, his jaws in a growl. "Not _you,_ " He spat. "Daykit!"

Taken aback, Nightkit stuttered: "B- But- Why?"

"Because- "Badgerpaw caught himself. "Just because."

Just then a screech echoed around the camp. "Nightkit!" Nightkit turned her head to see Featherwing, with her eyes filled with fury, sprinting towards her. "What are you doing out the nursery? I said to wait until you were five moons old!"

"Uh- "Nightkit waited for Daykit to stand in, and take the blame like he'd promised, but the golden tom just stood there, looking pleased with himself.

"Daykit said I could!" Nightkit squeeked angrily.

"Did you, Daykit?"

"No!" Daykit growled. "She told me that you said she could."

"Is that true, Nightkit?" Featherwing stared at Nightkit angrily.

"No!" Nightkit growled.

"Liar!" Daykit bellowed.

"Enough!" Fatherwing ordered. "Into the nursery, Nightkit! Daykit, you can stay out here, if you want."

"That's not fair!" Nightkit complained.

"Nightkit, into the nursery. Now," This was a different voice. It was Nightkit's father, Thinstar. "Listen to your mother in the future."

With a furious growl, Nightkit stomped into the nursery, leaving Daykit's smug face and those few, short, sweet moments of freedom behind.


	4. Promise

Promise

 **Hi again! Please submit warrior oc for other clans, Iam running out of ideas! And thankyou for so much support, it really means a lot. Enjoy!**

Proudly, Nightkit sat by the Highledge, her black fur slicked down (she didn't know it, but because Featherwing had been too busy with Daykit to bother with Nightkit, Nightkit had had to clean herself, which meant there was a single tuft of fur poking up on her head). Her green eyes were sparkling, and her gaze was watching her father.

"Daykit, come up here," Thinstar was looking proudly at Daykit, but not sparing a second for his other kit.

Daykit leaped onto the Hightledge, with his thick, golden fur gleaming and his amber eyes sparkling. He was plump from always having first pick at the fresh kill-pile, but muscled, strong and fast from Badgerpaw's training.

Pride blossomed in Thinstar's eyes, like a flower in Newleaf. "DayKit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Daypaw." Every warrior in the Clan looked hopefully at Thinstar. "I will be your mentor." Hushed whispers broke out throughout the camp.

 _Of course Daypaw gets Thinstar as his mentor!_ Nightkit growled. She still hadn't forgotten that day two moons ago, when Daypaw tricked Nightpaw into getting her into trouble.

"I will pass down all I know to you," Thinstar continued. Happily, Daypaw touched noses with his father, then he leapt off the Highledge. As he sat down, he smirked at Nightkit.

"Loser," He mouthed.

Once again, that familiar rush of hatred poured through Nightkit. To think she'd once loved that mouse-brain!

"Nightkit, come up," Thinstars voice sounded bored and annoyed, and his eyes held no trace of the pride and love that had been there when Daypaw became an apprentice.

Nightkit jumped gracefully onto the Highledge. Her black fur wasn't perfect like Daypaw's, and her green eyes were dark instead of light. She was thin, thinner that even her father, and it wasn't helped along by only ever eating scraps left over from the fresh-kill pile. Her muscles were weak, from not leaving the nursery for five moons.

"Nightkit," Thinstar wouldn't even look at her. "You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Nightpaw. Your mentor will be Goldenclaw. I hope Goldenclaw will p- "

"No!" That was Goldenclaw. As the deputy of the clan, she was right next to the Hightledge.

"Goldenclaw- "

"I don't care what you say, I am not having her as my apprentice!"

Hurt tore at Nightpaw like ShadowClan's claws. _Why does everyone in the Clan hate me? Even my own brother detests me!_ Nightpaw blinked, and looked at the ground.

Thinstar sighed. "Owlleap?"

Nightpaw allowed her hopes to rise. Owlleap was a sensible down to earth cat, so he would probab-

"No."

"Blackstripe?"

"No!"

"Spottedheart- "

"Don't even try."

Thinstar shrieked in annoyance. "Does anyone want to be Nightpaw's mentor?"

The Clan was silent.

 _Oh, great,_ thought Nightpaw, still staring at the ground. _I will never become a warrior, because I will never become an apprentice, and Daypaw wi-_

"Are you sure, Silentsong?"

 _What!_ Nightpaw jerked her head up to see the silver she-cat with one white paw nodding.

"But you have only been a warrior for a moon!" Thinstar said incredulously.

Silentsong looked around her, as if to say: "I know, but what other choice do you have?"

"Good point…" Thinstar sighed. "Well, come up."

Silentsong jumped onto the Highledge.

Thinstar looked at her, but not Nightpaw. "Silentsong, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Spottedheart, and you have shown yourself to be a loyal apprentice and a strong will be the mentor of Nightpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Nightpaw pressed her nose to Silentsong's, her new mentor. The clan erupted into chants of-

"Daypaw! Daypaw! Daypaw!"

Hurt attacked Nightpaw again, but then Silentsong gave the Clan a frosty glare, and every cat added halfheartedly:

"Nightpaw…"

Nightpaw scrambled off the Highledge, and turned to her mentor. But before she could say anything, Daypaw pushed up to her.

"No-one wants you, Nightpaw. In fact, they had to get a mute to be your mentor, because she couldn't complain!" He hissed, then ran into the crowd of his adoring fans.

Angrily, Nightpaw turned to Silentsong. "I promise," She mewed loudly. "That I will complete my training, and become the best warrior ThunderClan has ever seen!"


	5. The truth is out

The truth is out

 **Sorry that the chapter is short, but I couldn't think of anything to add to it without it being crowded. Enjoy!**

Silentsong looked at her apprentice. _I hope I am doing what I should, StarClan. I don't think I'm ready for an apprentice yet, but…_

"What are we doing today?" Nightpaw was trying to sound chirpy, but Silentsong could hear the disappointment and hurt in her voice.

"Silentsong?" Silentsong turned to see Thinstar looking at her. "Please come to my den. Bring Nightpaw with you."

 _Just look Nightpaw in the eye and invite her into your den, you mouse-heart!_

But Thinstar was already in his den, and Daypaw right behind him.

Sighing, Silentsong waved her tail to indicate that Nightpaw should follow her, and scrambled into Thinstar's den.

It was dark, despite the burning sun outside. Nightpaw crawled in behind Silentsong and her eyes grew wide, taking it all in.

"Sit," Thinstar ordered.

When both apprentices were settled, he looked at them carefully, then said: "You were both born six moons ago."

 _Wait, he was telling them about the prophecy? I thought… Well, when they are warriors! But… Nightpaw would never forgive me if she realised I had kept this from her through her apprenticeship… Maybe this is for the best…_

"On that same night," Thinstar continued, "Icytail had a prophecy. This prophecy was about you two."

 _A prophecy! About me!_ Nightpaw forced her fizzy excitement down. _Maybe this will fix my relationship with Daypaw, if there is a prophecy about us! I mean… He is annoying, and at times I hate him… But he is still my brother!_

"The prophecy told us many things. It said that there would be a battle, a battle so fierce that the forest will be torn apart. That one cat would be the warrior of death, the other would be the warrior of life."

Silence covered the den.

"Wait…" Nightpaw felt fear sneak up on her. "The prophecy… I thought Daypaw and I would be on the same side… We are, right?"

Thinstar looked at Silentsong. She couldn't bear to look back at him, but she did place her tail on Nightpaw's shoulder.

"No, Nightpaw. Daypaw will fight you," And unwillingly, Thinstar added: "And you will fight him."

Everything seemed to fall away. Up until then, Nightpaw hadn't realised how much she was clinging to that little shred of hope that deep down, Daypaw still loved her. Now she knew that they were destined to hate each other.

Silentsong watched the pain in Nightpaw's eyes. _Surely there could have been a nicer way to break this to her?_ But she knew that however the news came to Nightpaw, she would still feel this pain.

Slowly, Silentsong stood up, and urged Nightpaw out of the den. The black apprentice (who didn't seem to know what she was doing) slowly lay down in the sun, her green eyes clouded.

Fury bubbled up inside Silentsong. _How could StarClan destine a kit this caring, to be a- a- a monster?_

A sweet, familiar smell crept up to Silentsong.

"Not all is as it seems, Silentsong. Listen to the prophecy yourself, and the waters will clear…" Whitefoot whispered, then faded away.

 **I hope you enjoyed! Now I want your opinion. Should I write a chapter from Daypaw's point of view? Please message me what you think, because I won't write the next chapter until some-one gives me their thoughts. Until next time!**


	6. First day (Daypaw)

First day (Daypaw)

 **Due to so many people wanting it, here it is! Daypaw's Point Of View! Sorry it took so long, had written it and was about to publish when I decided I didn't like it :P. Anyway, it's here now!**

Daypaw watched Nightpaw.

 _Weak._

"Daypaw?" Daypaw turned to his mentor.

"Yes?"

Thinstar looked relieved. "You're not… Well, you don't feel the same way your sister does?"

"No," Daypaw replied.

"Good. Because she must be weak, and you must be strong. You have to defeat her, or the forest will be under her evil rule. You are good, Daypaw, and she is evil."

 _How do you know?_ Daypaw wondered.

As though he knew his son's thoughts, Thinstar said: "When you were a kit, she tried to kill you."

Fury bubbled up inside Daypaw. "She did what?" He spat.

"Tried to kill you. Do you understand now? This is life or death. You must destroy her, or else she will destroy you, and all honourable with you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the forest, Daypaw leapt at Thinstar. Thinstar dodged, and pretended to claw at Daypaw's pelt. Daypaw retaliated with a pretend bite to the neck.

"Ow! Stop!" Thinstar shrieked.

Daypaw leapt back to see a thin trickle of blood on his mentor's fur.

"I said pretend fighting!" Thinstar panted.

"We're not kits!" Daypaw complained.

Thinstar hesitated.

"Please, Thinstar? I really want to!" Daypaw used that old trick.

Thinstar gave in. "If you want to…" He said doubtfully.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back in the camp Daypaw was instantly swarmed by cats. He listened to them all, despite really wanting to just curl up in the apprentices den.

He almost had to fight his way to the fresh-kill pile, and when he finally got there he saw it was empty.

 _Those selfish cats! I need food too!_

Growling to himself, he ran to the medicine cat's den, ignored Icytail's sugar-sweet words, grabbed a mouthful of moss.

Then he scrambled into the apprentices den, made his bed, and was about to fall asleep, when Badgerpaw entered with a mouse in his jaws.

"Daypaw!" Badgerpaw exclaimed.

"Um-hm," Daypaw stared at the mouse in Badgerpaw's mouth.

"Oh!" Badgerpaw saw where Daypaw was looking. "Do you want to share?" He dropped the mouse next to Daypaw, then lay down to share it with him.

Instantly Daypaw swiped it up, and carried it over to a corner of the den. He finished the mouse in a few, short bites.

"Too thin," He told Badgerpaw. "It was just skin and bones."

"Oh…" Badgerpaw blinked. "I- I will… Um…"

"Do better next time."

Daypaw curled up the moss, his belly still growling.

 _How can I defeat Nightpaw if I have starved to death? All the cats do is eat all the fresh-kill, and the only cat who bothers to bring me a piece brings me the scrawniest one the forest has ever seen!_

Slowly he drifted off to sleep, still cursing the ThunderClan cats.

 **Well, there it is! I hope you enjoyed. I still need oc, so please message me yours!**


	7. Forgive

Forgive

 **Hello! So so so sorry this took so long to come online, everything has been so hectic here right now, but no worries! It is here now!**

 **Anyway, a lot of you have decided that Daypaw is the bad guy, and Nightpaw the good. Well, please message me what you think of this chapter!**

Fight her brother. Fight her brother!

Nightpaw felt the soft fur of Silentsong rest beside her. Her mentor didn't say anything, but let Nightpaw think her thoughts.

Fight her brother.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nightpaw didn't realise how much time had passed. The sun was already at the bottom of the sky.

Silentsong stood up and stretched. She looked at her apprentice, as if to say, 'I know'.

Then she slowly padded away.

Cautiously, Nightpaw crept to her feet. Silentsong waited by the camp entrance.

'Come on,' she seemed to say.

Nightpaw slipped out of the camp for the first time. When she pictured this moment as a kit, she was always bouncing with excitement, the sun high in the sky, with a mentor explaining everything to her. But really, she was walking slowly, the sun had just been replaced by the moon, and a mentor who couldn't talk.

Suddenly a wave of-

What was it? It wasn't sadness, like before. But it wasn't happiness. It was-

Anger?

Yes, anger. She was angry. No, she was _furious!_

Nightpaw let the dark haze cover her gaze, though she could still see easily. All those trees…

With a growl that would make LionClan proud, Nightpaw attacked the trees. She gauged huge wounds in the bark with her claws. She snapped off branches, and tore them up. She leapt into the trees, clawing everything she could get her paws on. She fought like a warrior.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

She made another spectacular leap, and landed on all four paws. Slowly, carefully, Silentsong slid towards her.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

What was that? Her eyes wide, Nightpaw spun around. A silver she-cat crept towards her. Nightpaw growled a warning.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

 _Does she know who I am? I don't think… I don't think she does._ Silentsong realised.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

She wasn't running away. _Fine then. She shouldn't be near me. I will make her hurt!_

Nightpaw hissed, and pounced on the she-cat. The cat yelped, and started to run away. Nightpaw followed her eagerly.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Run away! Silentsong ran as fast as she could, but she could still feel Nightpaw gaining.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Suddenly, her quarry changed direction. Confused, Nightpaw skidded around, losing precious seconds.

 _Wait… Is she leading me somewhere? She doesn't just seem to be running away now, she seems to be aiming to get somewhere. Well, I'd better catch her before she gets there_.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

 _Run, Silentsong, run!_

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Nightpaw prepared to jump on the cat when-

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Silentsong finally reached the Lake. She ran to the side, and saw Nightpaw leap out of the trees to the edge of the water. The clouds parted, and the moonlight shone down on the black cat.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Nightpaw, stop."

 _Nightpaw… Who was Nightpaw? I've heard it somewhere before…_

"Nightpaw, stop now!"

 _Nightpaw… Wait, that's my name!_

Nightpaw looked around. The silver she-cat (wait her name is… Silentsong, that's it!) waswatching her. But it wasn't Silentsong who spoke.

"Nightpaw, look at me."

A back she-cat with one white sock stood there.

"Who- Who are you?" Nightpaw croaked. Her legs were feeling the burn she should have felt during the run.

"My name is Whitefoot." The she-cat mewed. "And I am here with a message from StarClan. Nightpaw, as much as the prophecy may upset you, you must fulfil it. If you don't…" Whitefoot faded away, leaving Nightpaw by the Lake with Silentsong.

Slowly Silentsong walked up to Nightpaw. Her apprentice was staring at the place where Whitefoot had been.

Using her tail, Silentsong urged her look at the Lake. The moon was reflected off it, creating a natural masterpiece.

"I- I'm sorry," Nightpaw whispered. "I- I didn't know what was happening, who you were, who I was…"

Silentsong looked at her. Her gaze said it all.

'I forgive you.'

 **Well? What do you think?**


	8. Nightpaw's training

Nightpaw's training

 **Hello there! Read and enjoy!**

Nightpaw stretched, enjoying the luxurious feeling in her muscles. Blinking, she noticed that Daypaw's nest was empty. Her half-thoughts were answered when she heard Thinstar praise him from outside.

She slowly walked out of the den. In the camp, not a single cat looked at her twice. Thinstar was on the Highledge, and Daypaw was listening, interested, to what he had to say. Goldenclaw was sorting out a hunting patrol, and Icytail was reciting something to Hollyburn, and Lost-tail (who was the only elder, and the laziest cat in the camp) was sleeping in the sun. Sandpool had ventured out from the nursery, her tail wrapped protectively around her bulging belly. The kits were due any day now.

Silentsong tapped Nightpaw on the shoulder. Eagerly, Nightpaw followed her out of the camp.

Today, the sun was sparkling down through the bright leaves. Its warmth encouraged the prey out, and Nightpaw listened to a sparrow singing its song in the trees.

Silentsong led the way through the forest. Eventually they reached a place, where the trees thinned slightly so they could face each other comfortably.

Silentsong fell into a familiar postion. It quickly clicked in Nightpaw's mind. "This is the position for hunting mice," She exclaimed. Silentsong nodded.

Nightpaw hurriedly copied her mentor's position. Silentsong walked around her apprentice, correcting a few things. After a short while, she nodded, then pretended to jump. Nightpaw allowed herself a moment to picture where she wanted to land, then leaped. She landed where she planned to, but wobbled, and fell over. Silentsong smiled softly, and urged Nightpaw to try again, with a quick nudge of her tail.

XXXXXXXXX

Nightpaw crouched, eyed up the ground, then leapt, unsheathed her claws, and landed perfectly on the forest floor.

Silentsong eyes shone with pride. She waved her tail, and Nightpaw followed her back through the forest. The sun was setting now, but already Nightpaw had mastered the hunting crouch.

 _She will be a fantastic warrior._ Silentsong thought. But then Nightpaw's destiny came flooding back to her, along with Whitefoot's message.

'Not all is as it seems, Silentsong. Listen to the prophecy yourself, and the waters will clear…'

 _Well then, Whitefoot,_ Silentsong decided. _I will ask Thinstar about the prophecy today… Wait, no, I'll ask Icytail, she'll know it better than him._

The silver cat followed Nightpaw into camp. She pushed a mouse off the pile, and when Nightpaw began to eat it she padded into the medicine cat den.

Hollyburn looked up from her herbs. Seeing Silentsong, her eyes widened.

"Are you okay? Did Nightpaw hurt you?"

Silentsong shook her head. She then purposefully looked at Nightpaw.

Hollyburn thought for a moment. "Nightpaw's hurt?"

Silentsong shook her head.

Hollyburn hesitated again. "You want to… Know the prophecy?" This time she sounded sure.

Silentsong nodded.

"I'll go and get Icytail," Hollyburn said, when Icytail peaked through the doorway.

When she saw Silentsong, Icytail's eyes clouded with worry.

"Are you alright?" Icytail sniffed Silentsong's fur, searching for the smell of blood.

"She wants to hear the prophecy," Hollyburn explained.

"Oh… Well, I should have expected that…" Icytail sat down.

"Well, I saw two feathers fall out of the sky. One was black, and the other gold. When I touched them, I was in a place of black and gold. Then the words of the prophecy are:" Icytail cleared her throat. "'Good and evil shall fight once more, Day and Night in a bloodthirsty war, life against death is the way it will be, the forest will split, it has been foreseen.' Immediately after, Nightkit tried to kill Daykit." Icytail left the words hanging ominously.

Silentsong's hopes rose. _The prophecy didn't say Nightpaw is evil! And Nightpaw trying to kill Daypaw, well, Featherwing is really over-reactive. Just look at Nightpaw's first five moons for proof of that!_

Silentsong left the medicine cats den feeling… Satisfied.

 _StarClan,_ She thought, _I have stayed with the darkness, and now I can see the light. Thankyou._


	9. Moonpool

Moonpool

A quiet waterfall trickled down a stone wall, into a hollow, then gathered at the bottom in a small pool. The half-moon made the water shine softly.

Six cats slowly walked towards the pool, along a worn, stone path. Suddenly, a tom lifted his head.

"I smell another cat," He growled.

One cat (A golden-brown she-cat with dark ears and tail-tip) hesitated. "Yes, you would…" She agreed.

The tom stared at her, along with the other cats.

"Why?" He asked, looking at her cautiously.

The she-cat sighed. "I should have known you would smell it, Ivyleap."

Ivyleap wasn't born a medicine cat, he had the training of a warrior, but when he showed signs of strength as a medicine cat, he changed to heal cats in his Clan.

"Don't change the subject, Nettleskip." He growled.

The she-cat sighed, then reluctantly spoke. "Last night, Pricklestar came here to receive her nine lives."

The cats looked at each other, then a ginger one came forward. "How did Snowstar lose his last life?"

"Fighting a fox," Nettleskip told Hollyburn.

"A warrior's death," A tiny white tom said. His mentor, Silverpetal, nodded in agreement.

"Well said, Cloudpaw." Dawnfur looked at the small kit, then turned back to Nettleskip. "I am sure she will make a great leader. Who did she choose as deputy?"

"Mistycloud."

The cats mewed their agreement.

"We should begin." The medicine cats gathered around the moonpool, and drank lightly from it. Soon they were asleep.

Nettleskip stayed awake longer than the rest of them. She looked at her paws.

"StarClan…" She whispered softly. "I chose the path of a medicine cat seasons ago, and I promise you, I'm not regretting it. But…" She took a deep breath. "Ever since you sent me that prophecy… Is it so wrong to want to fight? To fight the darkness you warned me about, but not as a medicine cat, but as- as a warrior?" She looked around her, but nothing happened. She sighed, and lapped up some of the shining water.

XXXXXXXXXX

A white tom sat, looking at her.

"Snowstar?" Nettleskip looked at her former leader. Snowstar smiled.

"Come," He said, then walked off into the forest.

Nettleskip followed him. She walked weirdly, sort of like a skip, because one of her front paws was missing half of its toes.

"Nettleskip," Snowstar said finally. "You want to fight the evil StarClan prophecied, like a warrior, don't you?"

Nettleskip nodded slowly.

Snowstar looked at her. "It is your duty to be a medicine cat," He mewed. Nettleskip looked sadly at the ground. "But… If, when the time comes, you still wish to fight, then you may. However, I think, when the time for battle does come, you will want to be a medicine cat."

Nettleskip fluffed up her fur indignantly. "Are you saying I will be too afraid to fight?"

"No, I'm not." Snowstar looked at her proudly. He opened his mouth to continue speaking, but the dream faded away, leaving Nettleskip to wake up, to begin the trek back to the WindClan camp.


	10. Gathering

Gathering

 **SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! I hope the length makes up for the lack of publishing for foreveeeeeeeeeeeeeeer (at least, it felt like that...) I hope you like it!**

Nightpaw slipped back into camp. No-cat noticed her, despite the plump mouse hanging from her jaw.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Thinstar yowled, and slowly ThunderClan padded towards him, all knowing what was coming.

"About time, too." Nightpaw heard Spottedheart sigh.

After she deposited the mouse on the fresh-kill pile, Nightpaw gracefully sat down, her ears pricked. The obvious reason for this Clan meeting was for the Gathering.

When everyone was settled, Thinstar began: "Tonight is the Gathering, and I have decided who shall be coming. Those cats are: Goldenclaw, Daypaw- "

 _Perfect Daypaw…_ Nightpaw thought bitterly, looking at her brother.

"- Spottedheart, Darkfang, Firepool, Badgerpaw, Owl-leap, and Featherwing. I suggest you all eat well, and I will meet you all by the camp entrance when the moon has risen." Thinstar made to jump off the Highledge.

 _He didn't say me!_ Nightpaw knew why, but that didn't stop the flood of anger pour through her. Before she could stop herself, she hissed:

"I'm coming to the Gathering too!"

Cats looked disgustedly at her.

"I- No, you're not, Nightpaw." Thinstar looked coldly at her.

"Yes, I am!" Nightpaw growled. Subconsciously, she unsheathed her claws, drew her teeth back into a snarl, and fluffed up her fur so she looked bigger.

The look of revolution on ThunderClan cat's faces turned to fear.

 _Good._ Thought Nightpaw. _I deserve to go to the gathering too!_

"Uh- "Thinstar sent a panicked look to his deputy.

Goldenclaw looked nervously to Thinstar, unsure about how he would react to her idea. "M- Maybe she should come, Thinstar. Then you could keep an eye on her…"

As much as Nightpaw detested the reason, the fact that Thinstar considered it made her keep her mouth shut.

Thinstar sighed. "If you think so…" He turned away, calling behind him, "Nightpaw, Silentsong, you can come too."

XXXXXXXX

Nightpaw had often seen the island by day, but it was completely different by night. Thinstar lead the way to the tree, dipping his head to the ShadowClan leader on his way by. Daypaw eagerly ran across the bridge, yet still looking dignified. Nightpaw made to follow him, but was shoved to the side by a panicked looking Featherwing.

 _What does she think I'm going to do- knock my brother off the tree-bridge?_ Nightpaw snorted, padding across the old tree-trunk. _Actually yes, she probably does._

She jumped off the tree, and followed Thinstar through the trees.

 _Woah._

Countless cats, all with weird, yet recognisable scents, were sharing news and stories, and creating friendships. Nightpaw spied a group off cats, about the size of apprentices, and started over to them. After a few pawsteps though, she saw Daypaw, amusing them all with a (probably untrue) tale. She stopped, and walked back to Silentsong.

Her mentor licked Nightpaw's head affectionately, but then continued to search the island. Nightpaw waited patiently, but eagerly.

Silentsong caught the eye of another cat, and bounded over to her. Nightpaw followed quickly.

The she-cat was a golden-brown, with dark tufts poking out her abnormally large ears, and a dark patch on the tip of her long tail. Her long, thin legs made her taller than Silentsong. One of her paws had half of its toes missing, and the rest of the foot was covered with countless scars. Her amber eyes were warm towards Silentsong, and her short whiskers seemed to tremble with happiness.

"Silentsong!" She mewed happily, as they approached. "And who are you?" She added, spying Nightpaw.

Nightpaw opened her mouth to say her name, when she saw Silentsong twitch her head slightly. She closed her mouth.

The she-cat saw Nightpaw's hesitation, and decided that this tiny black cat must be shy.

"I'm Nettleskip," She explained. "WindClan's medicine cat. Are you Silentsong's apprentice?"

Nightpaw nodded slowly. Nettleskip frowned. "Already? Silentsong, you've only been a warrior for just over a moon!"

Silentsong shrugged non-committedly.

For a moment, the group was silent.

"Why are you called Nettleskip?" Nightpaw finally asked. The thought had been nagging her for a while now.

Nettleskip forced back a growl of annoyance, though she didn't completely accomplish it.

"It's okay!" Nightpaw backtracked. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to!"

Nettleskip sighed. "You'll find out soon enough."

"Cats of all Clans!" A cat screeched. Nightpaw turned to see a brown-red tom on the huge oak tree in the middle of the island.

"That's Burntstar, ShadowClan's leader," Nettleskip murmured. "And that's Crowflight, his deputy." She waved her tail to a smoky black cat.

A grey she-cat with dark stripes leapt up next to him.

"She's Ripplestar, from RiverClan, and Clawedpelt, her deputy."

The reason of Clawedpelt's name was clear: his dark fur was riddled with claw-marks.

A she-cat with long fur fluffed up all over the place and cold blue eyes bounded onto the tree, and a silver-grey she-cat joined the deputies. This time Nettleskip didn't explain who they were. Finally, Thinstar climbed onto the wide branch.

"Burntstar, would you like to start?" Thinstar asked, but was cut off.

"Actually, I would like to go first, if that is okay with you?" The WindClan leader said curtly, and without waiting for an answer, continued. "Snowstar lost his last life fighting a fox. His death is a great loss to WindClan, but I have been to the Moonpool and received my nine lives. Mistycloud is my deputy."

Every cat suddenly called out: "Pricklestar! Pricklestar! Pricklestar!"

 _That name make sense._ Nightpaw thought to herself. _Her fur does look rather prickly!_

"In other news, the fox was chased off our territory, and is not coming back. The prey is running well, and every WindClan warrior, queen, elder and apprentice is well fed." She dipped her head to Burntstar.

"ShadowClan is also well fed. We have a warrior to announce too: Dappledcloud."

"Dappledcloud!" The cats yowled.

"Everything is calm in the RiverClan camp," Ripplestar mewed. "The fish are swimming quickly, but my warriors are catching them faster."

Thinstar stood up. "ThunderClan has two apprentices to announce. Daypaw and- "He forced himself to say it. "Nightpaw are here tonight."

The Clans broke out in whispers. Leaders looked at medicine cats; medicine cats looked at leaders. Apprentices looked at mentors; warriors looked at leaders.

Determinedly Thinstar yowled: "Daypaw! Daypaw! Nightpaw… Daypaw!"

The odd cat echoed him, but most continued to whisper.

"The Gathering is over!" Thinstar announced. "ThunderClan!"

"WindClan!"

"RiverClan!"

"ShadowClan!"

Nightpaw stood up to leave, but froze when she saw Nettleskip.

"You're. Name. Is. NIGHTPAW!" She growled, her eyes filled with anger.

"Uh- I- "

"Silentsong!" Nettleskip shrieked.

"Nettleskip!" Nettleskip turned to see Pricklestar waiting for her.

"This isn't over!" The WindClan cat hissed, then ran up to her Clan.

 _She runs weirdly._ Nightpaw observed. _Sort of a skip. I think that's why she is named after it. Well, I don't blame her for being angry about her name. I wouldn't like to be named after a weakness. But… I don't think I can forgive her for acting like that, just because of_ my _name. Wait-_

"Silentsong?" Nightpaw asked. Silentsong looked at him. "Do all the other Clan know about the prophecy? Why were they all acting like that when Thinstar said my name?"

Silentsong nudged Nightpaw over to Daypaw. Confused, Nightpaw turned around, but then she heard Daypaw ask:

"- Do all the other Clans know about the prophecy?"

She listened in, intently.

"Yes, Daypaw. Each of the medicine cats heard prophecy, but they received it at the moonstone the time after you both had been born, whilst Icytail received it in the camp."

 _That must be why Nettleskip was so shocked! I didn't realise, but she was sitting with the other medicine cats when I met her, and I have heard Hollyburn and Icytail talk about her before, now that I think about it!_

She must have made some noise, because Daypaw and Thinstar jerked their heads towards her.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Thinstar growled.

"I- No- Yes- I- "Nightpaw panicked.

Thinstar snorted. "It starts off with the small things…" He muttered under his breath.

Fury rang in Nightpaw's ears again, but instead of clawing her leader into itty-bitty shreds like her claws itched to do, she put that energy into her legs, and ran.

She just wished she could run from herself.


	11. Silver Jaws

Silver-Jaws

 **Pandean, I hope I've caught Nettleskip's personality right! Oh, and I hope you don't mind that she is becoming a quite important character. To everyone: Enjoy!**

Nettleskip curled up in her bed. Inside, her feelings were a confused mess.

 _I thought… Well, I don't know what I thought! StarClan showed me the prophecy, then they showed me the reason that Nightpaw was evil! I walked in Featherwing's dream, and I watched her re-live the moment in her mind… But Nightpaw didn't seem evil when I met her today! And I saw Daypaw, and he seemed like an utter show-off!_

She couldn't sleep, despite tiredness clogging up her eyes. She heaved herself out of bed, and wobbled out of the medicine cat's den. The camp was silent, except for Foxtail, who was guarding the camp, and he believed whatever he was told anyway.

"Collecting herbs," Nettleskip told him as she walked past.

He frowned. "Is some-cat ill?"

"No, I just running out of- "Make _a herb up, Nettleskip! He won't know!_ "Berry… Powder."

"Berry powder?"

"Yep."

"In the middle of the night?"

"Medicine cats can make Berry Powder, but only in the middle of the night." Nettleskip made her voice all dreamy, and magical-sounding.

"Really?

"But I have to go now…" Her voice turned sharp.

Foxtail got the hint. "Right. Sorry."

Nettleskip padded away, pretending not to notice the look of wonder and admiration in the ginger warrior's eyes. _Mouse-brain._

She slipped through the camp entrance, and out onto the moonlit moor. She walked slowly, moving where-ever her paws led her.

After a while she reached a place she hadn't visited in seasons.

 _Why here?_ She wondered, and made to walk away, when she realised that the fear that usually attacked her when she was here hadn't arrived.

 _I can't avoid it forever._ She thought, and shakily padded forward.

The beautiful, green moor changed to dirty, dry, dead grass. Brown leaves crumbled under-paw, and she winced at every sound.

The last time Nettleskip had come here, it hadn't ended well. As much as she tried to push the memories away, they took over her mind, bringing pain with them…

The sun was bright, though occasionally dark clouds drifted across the sky. Nettleskip (But she was Nettlepaw then) trotted happily through the moor, her paw not wounded at all.

"Catmint…" She murmured to herself, her amber gaze flicked to the place where the grass died. She could see a fresh bunch of the herb growing next to a pile of leaves. She bounced over to it, and went to grab it, when a strange smell reached her nose.

"Rabbit? But… It smells like crow-food…" She mewed, puzzled.

Turning around, she saw a silver glint from under the pile of leaves. Instantly, she pounced on it.

They were like silver jaws, whipping out from under the leaves. Yelping, she turned away, but her paw was caught. The Silver-Jaws bit down harder, and sticky, red blood coated her paw.

Looking to her right, she saw a dead, brown rabbit. It was unlucky, and had its spine snapped by Silver-jaws.

From the distance, Nettlepaw heard Two-leg talk. She began struggling more energetically.

The pain that the Silver-Jaws were making blurred Nettlepaw's vision. She had been medicine cat apprentice for long enough to know that she was losing blood too fast. Soon she would feint.

'Snap!' The Silver-Jaws bit through some of her toes, skin, bone and all. Nettlepaw felt that she was going to die if she felt this pain a moment longer.

Whimpering, Nettlepaw wriggled her paw, creating more scratches… But also loosening it.

Along with a yelp of agony, Nettlepaw tore her paw away, and limped as fast as she could away from the two-leg trap.

Nettleskip panted. She began to tread more slowly, praying the moonlight would be enough to guide her away from any Silver-Jaws.

Soon, she reached the pace where she had nearly died.

What was that? It was exactly where she had scarred her paw. Creeping forward, Nettleskip's eyes widened with wonder.

A thick, golden feather lay on the ground. Next to it, was a coal-black one. Resting in the middle was a nettle leaf.

A silent breeze touched the nettle leaf, but the feathers stayed where they were. The nettle leaf twirled around, bouncing between the golden feather and the black one. Finally, it came to a rest on the black.

"StarClan?" Nettleskip whispered.

Snowstar's scent wrapped around her, along with the words: "Dreams are often just dreams, Nettleskip…"

Nettleskip looked around, but Snowstar was nowhere to be seen.

Slowly, Nettleskip walked back to camp. As she went, a sliver of movement caught her eye. Over on the other side of the lake, a silver she-cat was padding by the water. She lifted her head, and saw Nettleskip.

Everything was quiet. Silent, even.

Nettleskip dipped her head, in apology.

Slowly, Silentsong walked towards her friend. It was still a full moon, and Silentsong stayed within a fox-length of the lake, so StarClan couldn't tell them they were wrong.

When Silentsong reached Nettleskip, Nettleskip looked at the ground. "Silentsong… Look, I need to ask you something."

Silentsong watched Nettleskip interestedly.

"D- Did Nightkit try to kill Daykit?"

After a long hesitation, Silentsong nodded, slowly.

Nettleskip felt as though her thoat was blocked.

"S- So you have an evil cat as your apprentice?"

Silentsong shook her head determinedly. Then she thought. Then she spoke.

"Her mother is Featherwing."

Nettleskip stared at Silentsong. "You can speak?"

"Obviously," Silentsong smiled.

"Then… Why don't you?"

Silentsong ignored the question. "Her mother is Featherwing." She repeated.

"How does that have anything to do with-" Nettleskip thought for a moment. "Wait, is Featherwing the one who said that there was a fox attacking a patrol, when really the patrol had just smelled some fox-dirt?" Thinstar had announced that at a gathering.

Silentsong nodded.

Nettleskip realised what that meant. "So… When she said Nightpaw had attacked Daypaw… Nightpaw could have just unsheathed her claws?"

Silentsong nodded.

The wind picked up, making the ThunderClan trees rustle. This seemed to remind Silentsong she needed to get back to her territory, so she turned and began to run away.

Nettleskip turned back to her camp as well, when she remembered to call out:

"Silentsong? Tell Nightpaw that at the moment, I'm on her side!"

 **Yay! Nightpaw's got another supporter!**


	12. Blood is red

Blood is red

 **This took a while to come, but I hope the wait was worth it! And I am SO SORRY about how this chapter ends! But... What can I say? I like to annoy people!**

The day after the Gathering, Daypaw was up early. He walked out behind the dawn patrol, but slid away when they weren't looking. He lay down by the Lake, watching the fish swim beneath the surface.

 _Last night had been a success._ He decided. _Those apprentices I spoke to seemed to like me, and when Nightpaw's only new friend, that lame medicine cat, realised that she was the evil!_ He laughed to himself. _Am I glad I'm not her! I mean, I may be stronger than her when it comes to fighting, and hunting, and anything else, but… Well, I could never live with the Clan hating me like that!_

Mentally, he shook himself. What was he thinking? Nightpaw was evil; she deserved to be shunned.

Lazily, he stood up. He didn't feel like training today… But he had to be able to fight Nightpaw.

He wandered slowly back to camp. The breeze played with the trees, and shadows chased each other around the ground. Leaves leaped to the air when he padded past, and small prey hurried for cover.

Suddenly, a piercing shriek tore through the air, destroying the peacefulness of the forest.

Instinctively, Daypaw started running towards it.

XXXXXXXX

Silentsong had to wake up Nightpaw, because her apprentice had slept in.

The black cat rolled over sleepily. "Just… Just a few more… Just a few more seconds…" She yawned.

Silentsong shook her head, and pulled her out of her nest.

"I'm coming, I'm coming…" Nightpaw grumbled.

She stretched happily, then with a longing glance at her nest, scrambled out of the apprentices den. The fresh-kill pile was empty, so Nightpaw left the camp with a hungry belly. She followed Silentsong through the forest, listening to a bird call in the trees.

Silentsong stopped suddenly, and Nightpaw almost crashed into her. The silver warrior waved her tail to a tiny, brown mouse nibbling a nut, next to a tree root.

Nightpaw fell into the hunter's crouch. She slowly stepped towards the furry creature, but the wind changed and the mouse smelt her. She pounced, her unsheathed claws just catching it before it ran down it's hole.

Silentsong's eyes were warm, and the mentor and apprentice lay down to shar the catch. It was small for Greenleaf, but enough to fill their bellies. When they had finished, Nightpaw stood up and licked her lips.

"Where are we going now?" She asked.

Silentsong hesitated, trying to figure out the best way to say this without talking. She waved her tail at Nightpaw, then towards the forest. Then she pointed at herself, and nodded at a different part of the forest.

"You want us to split up?" Nightpaw clarified.

Silentsong nodded. She pointed at the remains of the mouse, then drew three lines in the dirt.

"It's a challenge?" Nightpaw said excitedly. "Whoever can catch three pieces of prey first wins? Meet back here when you've caught three?"

Silentsong nodded, and stood up.

"Go!" Shrieked Nightpaw, and sped off into the forest. She ran towards where the forest was thickest, sniffing the air for prey as she went.

She caught a sparrow, then a vole. Both of them were buried beneath a huge, old tree.

As she was searching for a final piece of prey, she caught the smell of cat. Not wanting to be interrupted, she made to turn away, when another smell hit her nose.

Fox.

Nightpaw ran forward, when a yowl of utter agony echoed through the forest. She ran faster, panic giving her energy.

Featherwing was lying down, sticky blood pouring down her leg. The relief in her eyes quickly changed to fear when she realised the cat come to save her was Nightpaw.

The fox didn't like seeing Nightpaw there, but bit Featherwing's leg again, it's sharp fangs tearing through skin easily.

Nightpaw couldn't remember seeing so much blood from one cat before, and her paws felt stuck to the ground.

Suddenly, Daypaw burst through the trees. His eyes widened when he saw Featherwing, then narrowed angrily when he saw Nightpaw just standing there, not helping.

With a snarl that would scare away ShadowClan, he leapt at the fox. His claws made wounds that would never heal; his teeth mad marks the fox would never forget. Whenever the fox turned it's snapping jaws towards him he would dart out the way, only to return a few moment later with a sharp attack.

Nightpaw just stood there, numb with shock. She couldn't take her eyes away from the blood on her mother's leg.

Daypaw bit its ear, tearing off a lump of fur. The fox yelped in pain, then turned and fled. Daypaw hissed at it as it went, which made it run faster. Then he turned to Featherwing, and checked she was okay. She would be able to make it back to camp, but probably have to stay in the medicine cat den for a couple of days.

When Daypaw was sure she was fine, he unsheathed his claws, and looked at Nightpaw with fury in his eyes.

"You wanted her to die!" He snarled, preparing to leap at her. "You just stood there and made me fight the fox off alone!"

Cold anger bit at Nightpaw. She didn't want Featherwing to die; she hadn't moved because fear had frozen her to the spot.

"Aren't you happy I let you fight the fox all by yourself, big warrior!" She taunted. "It means more attention, and I know you'll _love_ that!"

Featherwing watched her two kits arguing. _Had the time come for their legendary battle?_ She wondered.

Daypaw growled, then pounced on Nightpaw. He was big, strong and muscled, even more so compared to Nightpaw's thin and wiry look.

He slammed Nightpaw to the ground and unsheathed his claws, but before he could wound her she wriggled out and tried to bite his fluffy tail. He wacked it out the way, and bit Nightpaw's ear. She hissed and backed away, eying up her opponent.

 _No._ Decided Featherwing. _It's not fierce enough._

A blood-coloured haze covered Nightpaw's vision. She forgot who she was, who Daypaw was, and why she was fighting him. She let instincts take over, and clawed at Daypaw's thick pelt. Her brother hissed, and shoved his tail into her face, blinding her long enough to bite her leg. She growled, bit down on his tail, then knocked Daypaw to the ground with a strong blow. She landed on top of him, her teeth intending to slice through his fur, and his skin.

Through the bushes, a patrol of ThunderClan cats ran forward. Seeing Nightpaw on top of Daypaw, claws unsheathed, they tore at the black apprentice's fur, dragging her off her brother.

"Daypaw?" Asked Thinstar, panting slightly. "What happened?"

"She wanted Featherwing to die!" Hissed Daypaw, blood trickling from his wounds. "Then, when I saved her, she tried to kill me!"

Without checking with Nightpaw to see whether Daypaw was telling the truth, Thinstar yowled:

"ThunderClan! Back to camp for a Clan meeting!"

XXXXXXX

He ran in the lead, with Daypaw right beside him. Spottedheart stayed with Featherwing, helping her back to camp. The rest of the patrol stayed with Nightpaw, making sure that she wasn't going to try to attack any-cat again. But she wasn't going to. The red had disappeared.

The rest of the patrol was made up of Goldenclaw, Firepool, Badgerpaw and, surprisingly, Silentsong. Nightpaw's mentor didn't look at her, and only stared at the ground.

When they arrived at camp, Thinstar yowled the words to begin a Clan meeting, though it was unnecessary; ThunderClan was already waiting eagerly to hear the news.

"Featherwing, would you like to tell us what happened?" Thinstar asked, then sat down to listen.

"Thank-you, Thinstar," Featherwing said nervously. "I was walking through the forest, hoping to catch some prey, but mostly just wanting to- I just wanted to catch some prey," She looked towards a cat in the crowd, but Nightpaw couldn't see who. "A fox burst out on me, and bit my leg. I couldn't run away, but then another cat came out to save me. As soon as I realised it was Nightpaw, I knew I was going to die. The fox bit me again, and Nightpaw did nothing.

"Then Daypaw burst out of the bushes," Her eyes widened with wonder. "He fought the fox alone, and saved my life."

The Clan cats mewed among themselves, though they were all saying the same thing: This is even more proof, if it were needed. Daypaw is good; Nightpaw is evil.

"We can't have a cat who would willingly let another die in ThunderClan!" Thinstar declared. "Nightpaw, from this day forth you are not a Clan cat; ThunderClan or otherwise! Nightpaw, I exile you from the Clans!"


	13. Warm dusk- Harsh dawn

Warm dusk, Harsh dawn

 **Woah, this took forever to arrive. I was planning to update on Xmas Eve or at latest Boxing Day but... One thing leads to another! So merry Xmas to all, and to all a good chapter! (I hope :))**

Nightpaw shrank back, her eyes wide with fear. She didn't know whether Thinstar was allowed to banish her from all the Clan's, but that he had tried… It hurt.

"You may spend tonight here, but tomorrow Daypaw, Spottedheart and I shall take you to the border." He waved his tail to signify the meeting was over.

"Y- You can't…" Nightpaw croaked. Eyes flashed to her.

"He can and he should!" snapped Darkfang.

"I- I just froze up!" Nightpaw looked at Silentsong, but her mentor was staring forcefully at the ground. "I didn't- don't- want Featherwing to die!" But no-cat listened to her, and the Clan formed into little gossip groups.

Badgerpaw stomped up to her. "Firepool said I should make sure you go to your nest." He growled.

"You're guarding me?" Nightpaw asked incredulously. "That- That's just crazy!"

"It's not," Badgerpaw snarled. "What if you try to ru- " He paused for a moment, rethinking what he was going to say.

"Run away?" Nightpaw snorted. "Isn't that what you want me to do?"

Badgerpaw 'hmphed' angrily, and pushed her towards the apprentices den.

"I'm going!" Nightpaw snapped, and plodded into her den. "Happy?"

"Lie down." Badgerpaw ordered. Nightpaw glowered, but did as she was told. Badgerpaw sat down at the entrance, and watched her. Angrily, Nightpaw turned around, and stared at the back wall.

 _I didn't want Featherwing to die! She's my mother!_ Nightpaw hesitated on this thought. _Why does she seem to hate me so much? I mean… She's my mother!_

She must have eventually drifted into a light snooze, because she woken to the sound of raised voices. Badgerpaw was asleep and snoring, so she stood up and crept to the entrance to listen.

"That is enough! I would have thought you'd all agree with me! Nightpaw is an evil killer, and she tried to break the warrior code!" Thinstar's voice spun out of his den.

"She didn't try to break the warrior code! She said herself that she was too scared to fight the fox!" Nightpaw realised that voice was Owl-leap's.

"And yet she was 'brave' enough to attack Daypaw as soon as he saved Featherwing!" Thinstar's voice hissed.

"Nightpaw didn't attack Daypaw, Daypaw attacked her! Featherwing will tell you!" Owl-leap replied strongly.

There was silence for a moment, then the shaky voice of Featherwing appeared.

"It is true, Thinstar. But I assure you, Nightpaw tricked him into it!"

Another moment of silence.

"I'm still not letting her stay in ThunderClan. She's evil, Owl-leap, or are you forgetting that?"

"I'm not saying she's good, I am simply saying she hasn't done anything yet." Owl-leap was sounding tired.

Hollyburn slid out of her den and into Thinstar's.

"If I may, Thinstar-" She began.

"Hollyburn, this discussion is between Owl-leap and me," Thinstar mewed. "I'm surprised you even knew he was here."

"Thinstar, the whole camp can hear you. There's no point trying to keep it secret. I wouldn't be surprised if Nightpaw herself was listening."

Nightpaw felt the Clan leader looking at her den. She shrank back, glad that her black fur would hide her in the shadows.

"What is it then?" Thinstar finally asked. He lowered a voice a touch, but anger made it loud enough for Nightpaw to hear.

Hollyburn spoke carefully. "As much as I agree with you on the fact that Nightpaw is cruel, Owl-leap has a point in that she hasn't done anything yet."

"She- well," Thinstar gathered himself. "Well, it's better we exile her now, before she does. I should have done it as soon as we received the prophecy, we can't have evil in our Clan! Imagine what they would say; Oh yeah, that Thinstar, the one who let Nightpaw take over the Clans!"

"Please allow me to finish," Hollyburn sighed. "Remember the tales of Firestar and Scourge?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued: "Scourge wasn't a Clan cat, he was a rogue. This means that he could gather an army of rogues, because the Clan's didn't (and couldn't) stop him."

"So?" Hissed Thinstar.

 _How dumb is this cat?_ Nightpaw wondered.

"So," Hollyburn continued patiently, "If you exile Nightpaw, what's to stop her from doing the same?"

Thinstar thought for a moment. "She won't die of… Hunger? Or by a fox or badger?"

"Thinstar, she's one of the best fighters in the Clan, and she can hunt for herself."

Silence.

"Fine!" Thinstar growled. "Fine!" He repeated. "But…" For a moment he was lost in thought. "Silentsong… I made a mistake with her. She isn't fit to be Nightpaw's mentor. This time… I will not take no for an answer. Darkfang will be Nightpaw's mentor. I shall tell him tonight, but Nightpaw at dawn."

Nigthpaw heard quiet goodbyes from the cats, and decided it was time to disappear. She curled up in her nest, touched her nose with her tail, and felt herself relax.

She wasn't exiled. She was going to stay in ThunderClan. Happiness rose up inside her. It wasn't a bubbly, fizzy happiness, more a calm, sweet joy. Sure, her mentor wasn't Silentsong, but that didn't mean she couldn't talk to her former mentor. Then a harsh thought struck her.

 _Will Silentsong still like me? Why should she; I've given her no reason to!_

But the worry couldn't quite hurt her yet; she was too tired. Slowly Nightpaw's eyes closed, and she slept through the warm dusk, and to the harsh dawn.


	14. Feathers in a nest

Feathers in a nest

 **This took forever and a day to finish! And it's not even that long! So sorry, but I hope that... Okay, nothing can make up for this! So very sorry!**

"Wake up!" A harsh voice bit into Nightpaw's dream.

"I- What…" Nightpaw stood up and shook off the feeling of sleepiness. "Darkfang?"

"Get up," The gray-and-black warrior snarled. "We're going into the forest." He stomped out of the den.

 _Who put thorns in his nest?_ Thought Nightpaw, stretching. _Who-ever it was, I want to congratulate them. Not even a ShadowClan warrior would dare to do that!_

She stepped out of the den. Badgerpaw was still asleep by the entrance, and Nightpaw couldn't help giving him a small kick. Unfortunately, the apprentice then grabbed hold of her paw, and started to bite into it, like it was a mouse. She growled at him, but he just rolled over, and caught her ear between his paws. He started batting it, like a kit.

"Get off me, mouse-brain!" Nightpaw hissed. The world must have been mad at her though, because right then Darkfang barged into the nursery, and glared at his new apprentice.

"He grabbed my paw!" Nightpaw complained before he could say anything.

Darkfang blinked, then said: "Uh- Well… Well, why was your paw near him anyway?"

Nightpaw hesitated. She could lie… She sighed. No, she couldn't. "I kicked him…" The ground looked very interesting all of a sudden.

"Well, you shouldn't have kicked him!" Darkfang seemed to remember something. "And as a punishment… You can remake Thinstar's nest. This means the thickest moss you can find, and weave in feathers."

"Is that what Thinstar told you to do?" Nightpaw glared at him, then added: "Almighty mentor?"

"Who told you I was your mentor?" Darkfang snapped.

 _Oops._ "Um… I heard Thinstar say it last night."

"You eavesdropped?" Darkfang unsheathed his claws.

 _That leaf is such an interesting shape! In fact, I'll just keep staring at that as I nod…_

"Fine then," An evil smile appeared on Darkfang's face. "When you make Thinstars nest, you will weave in one- no, two feathers. Each time I tell you off, or you get a punishment, you will weave in another feather."

Nightpaw glared at Darkfang. "So whenever I get in trouble, Thinstar gets move comfortable?"

"A third feather," Darkfang mewed. "And I hope you're aware that you will have to find these feathers yourself?"

Nightpaw dug her claws into the ground, then bit back a scream. "Yes, Darkfang." She said dully.

"Good. Now, follow me." Darkfang waved his tail, and strode through the entrance.

XXXXXXXX

Nightpaw's belly howled with hunger when she walked past the fresh-kill pile, which was stocked with mice, but when she leant for one Darkfang waved his tail in her face, and said:

"Ask your mentor, or if I'm not around, Thinstar, Goldenclaw or a senior warrior, before you take some fresh-kill. Another feather."

Nightpaw bit her cheeks, and said in an I-am-totally-being-polite voice: "May I please have some fresh-kill, Darkfang?"

"No." Darkfang strode off, through the camp entrance, and into the forest.

"A pile of stinking mouse-dung, that's what you are." Nightpaw muttered, and ran after him.

XXXXXXXX

They reached the Lake, and sat down.

"The Warrior Code," Darkfang began. "Is the law that all the cats of the forest, WindClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan, and ThunderClan," He emphasised the last word, as if Nightpaw had already broken the Code a thousand times, "Live by. There are several parts to the Warrior Code. I believe you need to be reminded of some of them."

"Are you saying I'm a traitor?!" Nightpaw hissed, leaping to her feet.

Darkfang stared at her. "You attempted to kill Daypaw. That is against the Warrior Code. You should be banished for that, but Thinstar was merciful, and-"

"Thinstar wasn't 'merciful'!" Nightpaw yowled. "He let me stay because he was scared I would build an army to attack the Clans!"

"Another feather!" Darkfang hissed. "Sit down and listen to me, without interrupting!"

Nightpaw forced herself to relax, though inside she was wishing she _had_ been banished. At least then she wouldn't have to put up with this mouse-brain.

Darkfang sighed. "One of the Laws of the Code, is to not kill another cat. What is one of the Laws of the Code?"

"To not trespass on another Clan's territory," Nightpaw answered, just to annoy him. After she got a glare and another feather though, she changed it to: "To not kill another cat."

"This means that you can't kill or murder or drown or poison or…"

And so it went on.

XXXXX

Nightpaw weaved the final feather into Thinstar's nest. Fourteen in all. Sighing, she slumped out of the den, dodged Darkfang and Thinstar (who were talking quietly), and ran out into the forest.

The day had been horrible. Darkfang had made her sit by the Lake all day, forcing her to repeat the Warrior Code again and again… And again. It took all of Nightpaw's strength to stop that evil red haze to cover her vision. It still pestered her now.

Why should she fight it? There was no-one here now.

No.

Yes.

No.

Of course not.

Yes!

Nightpaw snarled, and with an exhilarating rush of energy, pounced on the trees.

XXXXXX

Darkfang watched his pesky apprentice sneak out of camp. He quickly explained to Thinstar his abrupt leave, then followed her.

He tracked her scent to a huge oak tree. The bark had been torn off it, and claw marks reached to the highest branch. Nightpaw's scent smothered it.

The next thing he saw, was a giant tree branch, torn from the tree, once again with traces of Nightpaw all over it.

The final clue he found was Nightpaw herself.

She was still black, but she seemed so much bigger, and muscled. Her unsheathed claws were longer and sharper than TigerClan's. Nightpaw snapped her head towards him, and he saw her eyes.

They were glowing red.

The colour of blood.

The colour of evil.

Without hesitating, Darkfang turned, and ran.

XXXXXX

Nightpaw watched him flee. She considered chasing him, but decided against it.

The trees stood above her. They would be so easy to snap… To break… To destroy…

 _Yes! It's fun!_

Nightpaw prepared herself to leap.

A scent reached her nose. A familiar scent.

Silentsong stood watching her former apprentice, sadness in her eyes. Without fear or hesitation, she walked forward, and touched her on the nose.

It was painful, watching all that power fall away. But Nightpaw fought it, and soon stood as herself again.

Silentsong tipped her head to the side, but then disappeared into the forest. Nightpaw didn'tt attempt to follow her.

XXXXXX

Darkfang raced to camp, with every intention to tell Thinstar to re-banish Nightpaw. But as he ran, doubts appeared, and he slowed, then stopped.

If he told Thinstar to banish her, Thinstar would ask why. And who would believe him? No-one, that's who. So he wouldn't tell Thinstar. But… he was not having Nightpaw as his apprentice again. No. Never, ever, ever again.

XXXXXX

Nightpaw crept back into camp, hoping no-one would notice her, but of course everyone did. Thinstar was on the Highledge, eyeing his kit angrily.

What had she done, that had made Darkfang resign from mentor duties so quickly? He didn't know, but he had formulated a new plan.

"Nightpaw, your mentor's Silentsong again," He said it as though it was no big deal, and ignored his Clan as he strode into his den, where Spottedheart was waiting. "Silentsong is Nightpaw's mentor again." He interrupted her. "But I don't trust her. Spottedheart, I want you to spy on Nightpaw and her mentor."

Spottedheart blinked. "I- Of course."

Thinstar purred. "I knew I could count on you."

Spottedheart nodded, but then whispered so quietly her leader couldn't hear: "But I wish you didn't."


	15. Spottedheart

Spottedheart

 **(Please read!) A couple of things:**

 **A) Sorry the chapter's so short. Couldn't think of anything to add.**

 **B) I had no clue what to call this chapter, so it doesn't have too much to do with Spottedheart, but she does play a role in it.**

 **C) Happy New Year! And thank you to everyone of you who has followed, favourited, commented, or just read! I didn't think so many people would see this!**

Nightpaw skipped up to Silentsong. Her mentor smiled, and waved her tail at the fresh-kill pile, correctly guessing that Nightpaw hadn't eaten at all the day before. The small mouse was gone in seconds, leaving Nightpaw's belly growling for more. Silentsong felt a purr building up inside her, but forced it down. She wasn't betraying her secret in front of the whole Clan.

Together, mentor and apprentice, slipped unnoticed out of camp.

Except for Spottedheart, who followed them.

They reached their usual clearing, and Silentsong hesitated, wondering what to teach today.

 _Fighting would be best, since we haven't been able to practise that for a while… But Thinstar has been trying to avoid that… Oh, I'll do it anyway! She still needs to practice the leap-and-roll._

In a swift movement (but a stumble near the beginning), Silentsong performed the move. Nightpaw nodded and copied, taking a little bit too long to stand back up. If she was in battle, her opponent would have clawed her belly open. Silentsong sat down, and looked at Nightpaw pointedly. Nightpaw went again.

Hidden in a berry bush, Spottedheart couldn't help but marvel at the way those two cats worked together. Silentsong didn't even _need_ to speak!

The sun was high in the sky, and Nightpaw was aching, but her eyes flashed with determination.

She leapt, as high as she could, then unsheathed her claws, swiped at an imaginary opponent, then began to fall back down to earth. As she landed, she rolled over, confusing Mr Imaginary Opponent, then leapt back up perfectly, with enough force swipe at him again.

Some warriors had trouble with that move! Spottedheart bit back a gasp.

Silentsong licked the top of Nightpaw's head, then began the trek back to camp.

Spottedheart muttered a quick curse, then shimmied up a nearby tree. Her clan-mates passed below her, oblivious. When they were too far away to see her, she gracefully leapt back down, and padded after them.

The two were silent, yet they seemed to be thinking about the same thing. As they neared the camp, Spottedheart decides it would be too obvious that she was following them if she entered right after them, so she quietly turned around, and padded off.

Nightpaw saw the camp come in view, then decided to finally ask what had been bugging her.

"Silentsong? Uh- I-" She took a deep breath. "What happened yesterday? I mean with the…"

She didn't need to say anything else.

Silentsong paused. Then she looked at her apprentice.

That one move was all it took. A rush of feelings crashed over Nightpaw.

Trust. She trusted Silentsong, and would trust her with her life.

Memories. Happy memories, of hunting, fighting, and just sitting in the sun.

Friendship. Silentsong was her friend.

Love. Not the love of a mate, but the love of a friend. The love you feel -or should feel- for family.

Nightpaw blinked. When Silentsong was with her the other night, those feelings had been enough to bring her back to herself.

Silentsong slipped back into the camp, and with a purr, Nightpaw followed her.

XXXXX

Spottedheart entered the camp with a vole, and after placing it on the fresh-kill pile, entered Thinstar's den.

"Spottedheart?" Thinstar looked up from his thrush. "Here, share this with me."

Spottedheart shook her head. "Not hungry," She replied, though it wasn't true. "Silentsong taught Nightpaw battle moves. Well, just the one move. The leap and roll. Nightpaw mastered it."

Thinstar frowned. "I don't want Nightpaw getting too good at battle moves…" He murmured. "I will try to put her on more hunting patrols from now on."

Spottedheart's belly growled.

'Are you sure you don't want to share this with me?" Thinstar asked, but Spottedheart was already gone.


	16. Time passes, Clans change Right?

Time passes, and Clans change. Right?

 **This chapter** **is short. I know. But to make up for it, I can give you this bit of information: Everything** **is about to get a whole lot more** **interesting.**

 **Oh, and Randome Person (Guest), I update whenever I can. Sometimes this can mean every day, other times about four days. The length** **of time rarely changes the amount I write though. It just means I've been** **busy.**

It had been six moons, and a lot had changed. But if you look at it slightly differently, nothing has.

Sandpool had had her kits. The three bundles of fur were bouncing around everywhere, tripping warriors up, playing chase-the-elder's-tail, and creeping out of camp. They were meant to be apprentices in a few days, but after a particularly dangerous escape attempt, they were forced to be kits for another moon, or at least a half moon. What was the same? ThunderClan almost always had kits in the nursery.

Sandpool had died giving birth. Her mate,Flickerstorm, had grieved for several moons, but then pulled himself together after about four moons. He then pushed himself head-first into all the Clan duties he could find, going on every patrol possible, working with Daypaw when Thinstar was busy, and never entering the camp without a jaw full of fresh-kill, and yet he still managed to spend every dawn, sun-high and dusk with Poolkit (named after her mother), Foxkit (after her ginger pelt), and Snowkit (her pelt was a crisp white). What hadn't changed? Flickerstorm was always a loyal, hardworking and determined warrior.

Badgerpaw had become Badgerstripe. He didn't boast much about it, with the exception of the day after his silent vigil. Then he spoke with Daypaw about it for ages, making sure Daypaw knew exactly what happened, and what to do if you were sleepy. Nightpaw was left out of this, of course. That hadn't changed.

Thinstar had a little number of lives left. No-cat knew exactly how many he had remaining, but they all knew they were numbered. He had lost two to a deadly sickness, and one to a stubborn badger. But he still acted as if nothing had changed.

Nettleskip was proud of her friendship with Nightpaw. She waited for her each Gathering, and spoke words of healing, when Silentsong's looks could not. Nightpaw was grateful for her kindness. She now had two friends, and they were more important to her than family. That hadn't changed, not since Nightpaw's second Gathering.

Hollyburn had joined StarClan. Nightpaw missed the she-cat, as her level-headedness in crazy situations had saved Nightpaw's neck before. But the medicine cat was still remembered, and visited Icytail in her dreams so much, it was like nothing had changed.

Goldenclaw had retired to the elder's den, and Berryfang had taken her place. The new deputy is strict and snappy to cats who have made a bad impression on her at any time (which is most cats) but forgives when they re-prove themselves worthy of her attention. She had never changed, and never would.

Silentsong had saved Nightpaw from several more uncontrollable bursts of anger. From this, their friendship had grown stronger and more powerful. Now Nightpaw understood Silentsong better than any cat in the Clan.

Nightpaw and Daypaw had changed.

Daypaw was even more muscled, healthy, strong and… Well, more _handsome_ than before.

Nightpaw was still thin, thinner than a leaf as Nettleskip had exclaimed good-naturedly one Gathering, but she was also the fastest cat in the Clan, as well as the best fighter.

Daypaw had proven himself 'good' again, when he saved Foxkit's life. This just happened to be the same act that had forced the kit to be a kit for another moon.

Nightpaw had shown herself 'bad', by being nearby when that happened.

 _So in some ways,_ thought Nightpaw, dropping a thin mouse on the fresh-kill pile, _ThunderClan has't changed at all. But in others… Well, at least we kept our name the same._


	17. Blood will be spilled

Blood will be spilled

Nightpaw crouched, eyed her prey, then pounced, unsheathing her claws and killing the unsuspecting vole. Silentsong looked at her proudly.

 _It wouldn't be long now until she becomes a Warrior,_ Silentsong noted with pride.

Together they walked back to camp. Their shadows were long, as the sun was setting. Inside the camp, they were met by a hiss of-

"ThunderClan, attack!" A ball of silver fur pounced on Nightpaw. Without hesitation, a second one (ginger) leaped on Silentsong. A few moments later, they were joined by a white fluff-ball.

Nightpaw staggered, confused, then saw a face in the fur. "Poolkit!" She growled. Her eyes sparkling playfully, she rolled over. The kit squealed with excitement.

"Poolkit! Foxkit! Snowkit!" Goldenclaw shrieked, fear taking control of her thoughts. Slowly the kits padded to their guarder. "What were you thinking?" Goldenclaw snapped. "You don't attack Nightpaw like that!"

"Why?" Complained the high-pitched voice of Foxkit.

"Yeah, you let us play with Daypaw!" Came Poolkit's mew.

"And Thinstar and Icytail and you Badgerstripe and Darkfang and-"

"That's enough," Ordered Goldenclaw. "Go and play with some other cat."

The kits considered arguing, then their tails drooped and they padded away.

Nightpaw watched them with longing. She had never played with kits; Daypaw was too busy with Badgerstripe and who would want to be friends with the evil who wanted to destroy the Clans?

Silentsong watched her with an understanding gaze. Oh, Nightpaw; you had never had a chance to be a kit, and you never will. Not with the Clans, anyway.

Sighing a silent sigh, Silentsong dropped her mouse on the fresh-kill pile then slid into her nest. The weather was cold, but her nest was warm.

Nightpaw dropped her prey onto the pile, then chose to wander down by the Lake. She needed to calm down, and she loved the sound of the waves, the trees and the feel of grass under-paw. But as she exited the camp, she was cornered by her brother.

He glared at her, then dropped his mouthful of fresh-kill (two voles, three mice and a squirrel) to speak.

"Nightpaw!" He snapped.

Nightpaw looked at him cooly. "That is my name. Unlike yours, it sounds good."

Daypaw growled. "You think you're so amazing. Well, I have news for you. You're not. In fact, you had better be careful from now on because I am going to fight you." His eyes gleamed proudly. He looked as though he had spent a lot of time thinking about this lecture. Either that or what this speech was about… "I am going to kill you like I was born to do. You had better be afraid, Nightpaw, because you are going to die soon."

Nightpaw blinked. Though her brother always teased and taunted her, he never out-right declared a war. "Fine then!" She hissed. "Try! But I'm warning you, I will not go down without you dying with me!" Well, that sounded a lot more threatening than in her mind. There goes any remaining chance of her being the 'good guy'. Not that there was anything to lose now.

Daypaw scowled at her, then picked up his prey and returned to the camp.

Nightpaw sighed, then continued down the path to the Lake. The sun shone down brightly. The leaves rustled gently. The prey ran freely. The waves splashed slowly. The birds sang sweetly.

It seems so perfect. It seemed like a little bubble of happiness.

Nothing like where a war should begin.

XXXXX

Nightpaw stayed by the Lake for a while, but then slowly wandered back to the camp. Just before she came in view of it though, a patrol of cats sped past her, through the entrance, and into the camp.

"No sign of her," Panted Berryfang. "The meeting is safe to begin."

"Good," Mewed Thinstar, then he yowled, "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" As the cats gathered, he added in hushed tones, "Berryfang, you already know why we are here. Guard the entrance in case Nightpaw comes. She cannot hear this, you understand?"

"Of course." Replied Berryfang.

Nightpaw knew, at that moment, she had to hear this, and it had to do with Daypaw threat. She scampered up a huge tree that overhung the camp.

"ThunderClan!" Thinstar called. "You all know about the prophecy!" Murmurs of agreement.

"What prophecy?" Squeaked Poolkit. Flickerstorm blinked, then herded the three into the nursery, where he spoke to them in a hushed voice.

"Daypaw has some news to share about it!" Thinstar continued as though nothing had happened.

Daypaw leaped onto the Highledge, his muscles rippling under his pelt.

Nightpaw panicked for a moment, worried that because Daypaw didn't have Thinstar's loud voice she wouldn't be able to hear him.

"I have decided," He mewed, and Nightpaw could understand him, though she had to really listen. "That Nightpaw's reign has gone on long enough. It is time we put a stop to her evil!" He looked around the camp. "I have come up with a plan, which is this:"

Nightpaw gripped onto the branch. _He is already planning to kill me!_

"The fight shall take place on the island. I will be waiting there at moon-high. You, my friends, my family," Nightpaw got the feeling that he was trying to make them feel united. _Pathetic._ "My Clan, will chase her to me. Once she's there, the fight will begin. I wan- need you to form a circle around us. I do not want her be able to get away. When" _If!_ Nightpaw thought. _If!_ "I kill her, the fight shall be won." He looked at his Clanmates. "I'd like to say that you only have to come if you want to, but that is not the case. I need every last one of you to help make that barrier. If you don't, she could get away, and that would mean she's won."

He was silent again, thinking. "Any thoughts?" He asked eventually.

For a moment there was silence. Then Flickerstorm, who had come out of the nursery, asked, "What about kits? Do they have to form the barrier too?"

"Uh- No," Daypaw said, though Nightpaw had a feeling he wanted to say yes. "Kits don't."

"Are you sure about the battle being on the Island? It is… Sacred, in a way." Spottedheart asked.

"I chose the Island because it is where the cats meet in peace every full moon, and so it should be where peace is created once again." Daypaw answered.

"When will the fight be?" One cat asked. Now Flickerstorm had broken the silence, every cat had something to say.

"The day after the Gathering." Daypaw informed them. Cats looked at each other nervously. So soon?

"It's best we stop this evil now!" Daypaw yelled. "Do you want ThunderClan to be the Clan that was too weak, to scared to fight? Do you want ThunderClan to be the Clan every other cat laughs at? I don't!"

Cats yowled in appreciation.

"ThunderClan is strong!" Called one.

"Nightpaw's evil must die!" Bellowed another.

"Daypaw is right!"

"ThunderClan shall not live under Nightpaw's rule!"

Daypaw sat back, satisfied. "Nightpaw, you had better watch out." He whispered under his breath. ThunderClan is coming, and with force."

Nightpaw looked at her brother, then dipped her head.

"Fine then." He voice wasn't heard over the battle cries of ThunderClan cats. "The battle begins."

 **Things are beginning to get interesting...**


	18. No more Dusk, no more Dawn

No more dusk, no more dawn.

Silentsong was happy.

Her belly was full from a long hunt, and she was well rested and ready for anything.

Energy was coursing through her limbs, and the sun was warm on her long fur.

She smiled. Despite the battle that was coming, life felt good.

She padded through the forest, listening to happy prey. From underneath a huge tree, she dug up a mouse and two voles, then caught a squirrel on her way back to camp. _Leafbare is coming to an end. Finally._

Inside the camp, cats were lazing around, enjoying the sun while it lasts.

Silentsong dropped her prey on the pile, proud to see that it made up most of it, then she walked to her nest.

 _Ugh. That moss is so old. Well, Nightpaw is asleep, and she deserves it, and Daypaw doesn't understand me. I guess I'll have to do it then._

She yawned, gathered up the remaining scraps, then carried them out into the forest. She dumped them by the Lake, lapped up a few drops of the sparkling water, then started to collect some more bedding.

The ferns behind her moved. Silentsong froze.

There was no wind, but she couldn't smell another cat. ThunderClan or otherwise.

She peered into the green. A flash of- gold? No, brown. A flash of- gold and brown! She knew who it was now.

She sat down, then started grooming herself. Her point was clear- she was calm, relaxed, so she knew who they were, and that she was safe.

Thinstar strode out of the bushes, followed by Daypaw.

"Silentsong." He nodded.

 _Thinstar._ Silentsong spoke in her mind.

Daypaw shook himself. "These fern leaves," He muttered, tugging them out of his fur, "Are horrible."

 _Daypaw._

Silentsong looked at the two questionably. Daypaw brought his attention back to her.

"Thinstar and I are concerned," He began. "About the time you are spending with Nightpaw."

 _I'm her mentor! What do you expect?_

Thinstar stepped forward. "I was confused when you chose to be her mentor. Now I'm worried. Silentsong, you remember that Nightpaw is evil, right?"

 _Silentsong didn't know that, but Silentsong will nod anyway._ Silentsong thought angrily.

"Good," Mewed Daypaw. "Because I was worried. Silentsong, you can't forget that the battle is between me and her, and that you aren't to get involved."

 _Wait… They don't know whether I'm on their side or Nightpaw's!_

"You _must_ stick with the plan…"

"Nightpaw must be slain…"

"She's evil…"

"Remember that…"

Silentsong realised that she had to choose. No more hovering between the day and the night… No more living in the dusk or the dawn. She had to choose.

Daypaw, who was in her opinion stuck up, bloodthirsty, and a megalomaniac… But also trusted by the Clan, the supposed good, the supposed saviour.

Nightpaw, who Silentsong trusted, who was in the mute Warrior's mind, loyal, quiet, and possibly misunderstood… But also commonly taken over by fits of anger during which she wants to kill every one, everywhere, and so conceivably the evil…

Silentsong ignored her leader and his apprentice, and chose her side.

"… Now is the time to choose, Silentsong. I trust you, you are one of my Warriors, and I know you will make the right choice." Thinstar looked at her, then stepped aside. "Come, and help us defeat Nightpaw's evil for once, and for all."

Daypaw watched her expectantly.

Smiling inside, Silentsong purposefully turned away, and strode into the forest.

 _Nightpaw, I have chosen you. Please, prove me right._

 **Oh yeah! Silentsong, you're awesome!**


	19. Fury, Anger and Hatred

Fury, Anger, and Hatred.

Fury.

Anger.

Hatred.

All those feelings and more ran through Nightpaw as she pictured Daypaw's smug face and loving admirers.

She snarled, and leaped at the tree. The bark was soft beneath her paws, and her claws were long and sharp.

When she was done with one tree, she moved onto another.

Each branch had the face of her Clanmates.

Featherwing. Broken in half.

Darkfang. Snapped into pieces.

Thinstar. Shredded beyond recognision.

Daypaw. All three.

Nightpaw channeled her energy into the trees, wishing she could do it to the cats themselves.

XXXXX

Spottedheart watched, as she always did, never reporting the truth to Thinstar, yet always believing Nightpaw was evil.

Why? Because Thinstar was stubborn enough that Nightpaw was evil. Because it didn't matter. Because nothing could change Thinstar's mind. Because nothing interesting happened anyway. Because… Just because.

Spottedheart sighed, angry at herself. Why was she watching, if she never had a reason? So she silently stood up, and went off to hunt.

XXXXX

Nightpaw gave the tree a last scratch, then collapsed to the ground, the heat and effort breaking through her fury.

The red haze slowly receded, leaving her confused. She stood up, paced the ground in front of the tree, then turned her gaze to the sky.

"StarClan?" She mewed. "What is the…" she struggled for words. "The red that I see when I'm angry?"

The wind blew softly. Nightpaw looked around her, but saw nobody.

"Nightpaw." Whitefoot's spoke slowly.

"Whitefoot!" Nightpaw smiled.

"You wanted to know about the red?" Whitefoot seemed nervous about something.

"Yes!" Nightpaw nodded. "Why- and what- and-"

Whitefoot held up her tail for silence. "Nightpaw, you must understand, okay?"

Nightpaw frowned. "I don't understand! That's why I'm asking you!"

"I know," Whitefoot said tiredly. "Nightpaw…" She looked around her, as though hoping no other cat would hear. "StarClan gave you that gift."

Nightpaw froze. The wind stopped, the birds silenced, and no other sound was made.

"Y- you what?" Nightpaw croaked, hoping she had misheard.

"We gave you that gift."

"Gift!" A new type of fury came over her. No red appeared, though, but Nightpaw was too angry to notice. "More like a curse! What were you thinking? That I'd like it? That I wasn't evil enough? That- That-"

"The opposite. We thought that you'd need it."

"Why?" Nightpaw snarled. Whitefoot said nothing, and started to fade. "Stop!" Nightpaw unsheathed her claws, and leaped at the place Whitefoot was, but by the time she landed, the StarClan Warrior was gone.

XXXXX

Nightpaw stomped into the camp. It was bad enough the Clan was plotting her death behind her back, now StarClan was encouraging them!

She spat the mouse down on the pile, then was about to plonk onto her nest when Thinstar called: "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Growling to herself, she turned her angry gaze to Thinstar. He was looking happy, but his eyes betrayed worry.

"Today is a great day for ThunderClan!" He yowled. "Featherwing is re-joining the nursery, expecting another litter of kits!"

Nightpaw looked at her mother in surprise. It was true she was a _little_ bit fat, but Nightpaw had put it down to overeating. She looked nothing like a pregnant queen though- at least, not a pregnant queen that had been pregnant for any length of time.

Around her, other cats were murmuring.

"She doesn't look like she's _that_ pregnant." Goldenclaw remarked.

"No, but she was never really a Warrior though, was she?" Mothdust replied. "She doesn't like hunting or fighting, so maybe she's going in there early to avoid…" She glanced at Nightpawwho pretended to be staring at her mother. "Anyway, she moved to the nursery as soon as Hollyburn told her she was expecting Daypaw." She whispered.

"Mm, you're right." Goldenclaw agreed.

"We wish her well!" Thinstar concluded, and leapt to his mate.

Bored, Nightpaw decided to bring some moss for her mother's nest. _I need to stop calling her that. She is no longer my mother- mother's are nice to their kit's._

She collected some scraps from the medicine cat den, then carried them over to the nursery. She was about to enter when she heard voices.

"But…" Came Featherwing's.

"But nothing," Came Thinstar's, firmly. "Featherwing, the chances of having another kit as evil as Nightpaw are so minute…"

"But it could happen." Featherwing whispered.

Thinstar sighed. "Featherwing, it is possible, but I don't think you understand how small the chances are." A moment of quiet. "Fine, see it this way. The chances of you having a kit who is loyal, good, and hardworking outnumber the chances of having a Nightpaw by far. Okay?"

"Okay," Featherwing whispered. Silence. "Oh, but Thinstar, I'm scared of her!"

"I know you are," Thinstar breathed. "We all are. But Daypaw will defeat her. She will not win. Now calm down, you need rest."

Nightpaw heard Thinstar approaching, so dropped the moss in the doorway and fled into the medicine cat's den.

Thinstar saw the moss and smiled, then brought it into the nursery.

"Here," He mewed. "This is thicker and softer."

Nightpaw breathed deeply. She was so evil that her mother was afraid of her.

 _Well, tell me something I don't know._


	20. Explosion

Explosion

 **The fight is coming soon, I promise! Just a few more chapters! Oh, and so sorry this chapter is short and kinda random, but I just wanted to make Spottedheart's side clear!**

"I've had enough." Spottedheart glared at Thinstar.

"Wha?" Thinstar asked, with a mouthful of vole.

"I've had enough!" Spottedheart repeated. She eyed her leader angrily.

"Enough of what?" Thinstar said, swallowing.

"Of…" Spottedheart struggled with words. "Look, when you became leader you asked me to be deputy. I said no."

Cats around them were starting to listen in. Spottedheart didn't care.

"Then you asked me again, when Goldenclaw retired. I kept my answer as _no._ "

"I know." Thinstar mewed, confused.

"You need to stop acting like I am your deputy!" She growled. "You keep giving me orders, but more than any other cat! It feels like more than Goldenclaw, or Berryfang! It needs to stop!"

Thinstar took another bite of his vole, and chewed. Slowly he swallowed, then he looked at Spottedheart. "I thought you liked it."

"Liked it!" Spottedheart spat. "If I liked it I would have wanted to be deputy!"

After a moment of hesitation, Thinstar watched her questioningly. "Why don't you want to be deputy?"

It was Spottedheart's turn to hesitate. "I- It's not quite right for me. I… Don't like everyone doing what I say because they don't really have a choice. " She muttered. "Anyway, I've had enough!" Her voice rose. "I won't spy on Nightpaw anymore!"

Silence.

"Spottedheart!" Thinstar growled.

Nightpaw padded forward. "You've been spying on me?" She asked. Her voice sounded furious, but for a brief, brief second, her eyes betrayed worry.

Spottedheart nodded once, hiding her fear of the black apprentice. Nightpaw turned her head to Thinstar.

"And you told her to?" This time there was no worry, just fury, plain and strong.

Thinstar nodded cautiously.

Nightpaw unsheathed her claws, but determinedly fought off the red. Silentsong slipped forward, yet there was no need, and Nightpaw spun around and stomped of.

Spottedheart watched her go, then looked again at Thinstar. "I hope my point is clear," She stated, sounding calm.

"Wait!" Thinstar stopped her racing out the camp. He seemed worried. "Are you- you're not- On Nightpaw's side?"

 _Side? I hadn't realised there were sides. I could say yes, just to annoy him…_

"No. But I'm not on yours. I may be with Daypaw, but definitely not you."

And she made her dramatic exit.

XXXXX

Later, she asked herself what had brought that… Explosion. In answer, she could only say:

 _I'm sick of being walked all over by him. If Daypaw can fight Nightpaw, I can say no to my leader._


	21. Tomorrow Night, I will be killed

Tomorrow night I will be killed.

 **It's short but sharp.**

Nightpaw watched ThunderClan storm out the camp, for the Gathering. She wasn't going. She knew why. She knew that Daypaw would be sharing news about tomorrow night's battle. She didn't know why Silentsong wasn't going. Because when Nightpaw asked her mentor, she simply smiled.

Slowly, Nightpaw walked to her nest. The moss seemed cold, lumpy and uncomfortable, and she couldn't sleep. She rolled over.

 _Tomorrow was the night I will be killed. I haven't thought of it that way before. Tomorrow I will be killed by my own brother._

She rolled over.

 _Will I be welcome in StarClan? Well, if I am evil, then no. Am I evil?_ She hesitated. _Well, everyone else seems to think so. But… Nettleskip doesn't. Does Silentsong? Maybe. Is that why she couldn't go to the Gathering? I- Are you with me, Silentsong?_ She sighed. _I suppose it doesn't matter. Silentsong can't interfere with the fight. I get that now. It was always meant to be me and him. Him and me. Fighting to the death of one of us. Fighting until the death of me._

Sh rolled over. Finally- a comfortable position. After a few false starts, she drifted off to a light sleep.

In her dreams, she was attacking trees, like she so often did. But she raked her claws down the soft back, it turned to fur, and blood poured out.

The fur was golden, and the blood red.

 **Right, before you click off and on to some other story, can you all _please_ take part in my poll! It's just a quick one about what story I should do next. Anyway, until next time!**

 **PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE PART IN THE POLL! Thanks so much!**


	22. It begins

The fight

 **In advance, I'm sorry about the ending.**

The day dawned crisp and clear. Nightpaw, choosing to avoid her Clanmates, hunted for as long as she could. This happened to be until nearly dusk. Then she carried her catches to the camp.

By the time she was done, it had turned dark. Nightpaw (pretending to not know abut her Clanmates evil plot to kill her) curled up in her nest. Finally, when the moon was high and bright, she decided it was time.

She stood up and stretched, feeling the power that her muscles held. She wasn't going down without a fight.

Daypaw's eyes opened a slit, from where he had pretended to be asleep. _What was she doing? She'll wreck the plan!_

Nightpaw strode out the den. She wanted every cat to see this, so she walked slowly enough to make sure everyone had noticed her, yet fast enough to not seem slow.

Cats sent panicked looks around the camp. Daypaw growled to himself, and muttered, "Well? Follow her, instead of just standing around like a mouse!"

Hearing this, Nightpaw smiled.

She knew they were all following her, Daypaw included (gold fur is very hard to hide, and he had made it shine for the battle), and so wove her way this way and that, taking her time.

Finally she reached the Lake.

Daypaw stared at his sister intently. What was she doing?

Nightpaw walked purposefully across the other Clans territories, looking like she didn't care that she wasn't on her own land.

No patrol came to stop her; no Clan got mad at her.

Just as she had thought.

She reached the tree-bridge, and without hesitation, stepped onto it. ThunderClan looked at each other in confusion. What was this mouse-brain doing?

Nightpaw reached the Island, and without looking back, strode into the trees. The cats whispered amognst themself, and Daypaw growled. He took the lead, preceding them across the tree, then followed Nightpaw's scent into the forest.

He slid through the ferns. That's when he saw her.

She was sitting in the glade, right in the middle. She was so relaxed, and calm. Her back was to him, and the moonlight shone off her glossy back, revealing powerful muscles. Her head was turned to the sky, her amber eyes looking at it thoughtfully.

Daypaw glanced at it himself, and frowned. Though there were no clouds, and yet not a single star shone. Not one. The sky was pitch black, darker than Nightpaw's fur. Well, as dark.

He didn't have time to ponder it though, because Nightpaw spoke.

"I know you're there."

Daypaw looked around. _She has to mean me._ He noted grudgingly. He stepped forward.

Nightpaw turned around. "You really didn't think I'd fall for it, did you?" She mewed. She eyed him up, not as a Clanmate, nor as a brother. As an enemy.

"Fall for what?" Daypaw croaked. He shook himself. _You're not scared of her! Make sure she knows it!_ "Fall for what?" He repeated boldly.

Nightpaw licked her paw, looking completely relaxed. "If I was going to let you fight me, it would be on my own terms," She replied calmly.

Daypaw hid his shock. "So… We fight?" He asked.

Nightpaw smiled. "We fight."

She was so calm about it, so sure, that Daypaw hesitated, just for a second. Then he stepped forward.

Inside, Nightpaw sighed. There was so much she could have done… But this was her destiny. To die here, today.

Slowly, the rest of ThunderClan scrambled for places in a sort of circular shape.

"Don't worry," Nightpaw called. "I'm not going to run."

This just confused them more. Nightpaw smiled. If she was going to be evil, she would be evil in a different way to any other cat before her. She changed to a Warrior's battle position, and unsheathed her claws.

"Wait!" A voice yowled. Daypaw and his sister glanced around.

Out of the long shadows, cats seemed to appear. There were so many, way more than Nightpaw had ever seen together- even at Gatherings. They were from every Clan, all Warriors or apprentices. Or leaders.

Pricklestar, Burntstar and Ripplestar stood together. They may be from different Clans, but for this night alone, they were united.

"Stop." Ripplestar mewed.

"What is it?" Daypaw sounded annoyed.

Burntstar looked at Daypaw. "We decided that we wanted to fight."

"I have one who wants to show their loyalties." Pricklestar announced.

Daypaw thought. "What if…" He waved his tail behind him. "All cats who wish to fight for me stand behind me," He smiled evilly at Nightpaw. "And all cats who wish to fight for Nightpaw, over there."

 _Oh._ Nightpaw realised. _He wants to show me how powerful he is. How many supporters he has._

Icytail was first, followed immediately by Thinstar. The rest of the leaders flocked over to Daypaw, followed by most of the Warriors.

Nettleskip stood forward. "I want everyone to know," She spoke loudly. "That I'm on Nightpaw's side. However, I'm not fighting. My duty is a medicine cat, and it always will be."

The other medicine cats nodded, but still walked over to Daypaw.

Nettleskip stood by Nightpaw. The black apprentice blinked gratefully.

The rest of the cats crept over to Daypaw. Now the only cat remaining was Silentsong.

Silentsong dipped her head to DayClan, but walked over to Nightpaw. Nightpaw's heart burst with happiness, and love.

The odds were still against her though. She looked at the size of Daypaw's… army.

"Very well," She tried to bring back the confidence she had earlier. "We figh-"

"Wait," It was Icytail. She was frowning. "Wait. The prophecy."

"Yes?" Daypaw asked impatiently. "What about it?"

"'The forest will be spilt, it has been foreseen'," She recited. "We thought it meant the _forest_ would be split- as in the actual forest! But what if it means the forest as in us! The cats of the forest!" She looked around excitedly.

Nettleskip twitched her head to the side. "You know… That makes sense…"

DayClan slowly nodded in agreement.

"So?" Daypaw frowned. "What does that change?"

But Nightpaw already knew.

"It mean we all fight!" Burntstar yowled. "DayClan against… " He looked at the three cats opposite him. "Night _Clan_." He teased.

"Fine then," Nightpaw spat. "We begin."

"Not yet!" Another voice screeched.

"What now?" Daypaw hissed.

More cats slid out of the trees. The Clans frowned at each other.

All at once, they noticed the stars in their fur, and the way the walked.

StarClan.

"We are a Clan in the forest too," Whitefoot mewed. "We get a choice."

"It's alright," Daypaw said, smiling happily, "I think DayClan is big enough. But thank you- really."

"Oh, no" Whitefoot smiled back at him. "We wish to show our side."

Then she joined NightClan.

Like a river, cats followed her. Daypaw watched, as slowly Nightpaw found unexpected allies.

Then a cat broke away from the crowd. It was Hollyburn. "I'm with Daypaw," She announced.

After her, a couple of cats joined DayClan, but most StarClan Warriors were with Nightpaw.

Nightpaw was still mad (no, furious) about their red curse, but she couldn't suppress a touch of happiness. StarClan was with her.

"Now!" She yowled. "We fight!"

This time no cat contradicted her.

Daypaw called out a battle cry, and the two Clans leapt at each other.

Nightpaw pounced on top of a random ShadowClan Warrior, and tore his ear off. He attempted to scratch her, but she darted quickly out the way, and returned with a sharp attack to his belly. Blood poured out of the wound, and he limped away to the medicine cats. They were already panicking, with no herbs to heal with.

Nightpaw was bowled over by another cat, RiverClan by the scent of it, and Nightpaw kicked out with her hind legs. While the Warrior tried to remember how to breathe, she clawed her muzzle, then rolled over, knocking her to the ground.

"Shiningpaw!" Another cat called out in shock and anger, then came running towards Shingpaw's attacker. Nightpaw turned, taken off guard, and was knocked to the ground. Shiningpaw's friend jumped on top of her before she could stand back up, then raked her paw across Nightpaw's ear. Nightpaw screeched in pain, then rolled over, pushing Shiningfriend to the ground. The dark apprentice hit the silver's head, then left her lying unconsciousus with her friend.

And so it went on.

Cat after cat, Warrior after Warrior, Nightpaw fought. She was tiring, the endless battle taking away her strength, but she had to find Daypaw. She had to.

A white tom leaped at her, but he was bleeding from several wounds, and Nightpaw used her claws to make them deeper. Soon he was lying on the ground, sticky from his own blood, his pain making him ignore Nightpaw.

Panting, she looked up. A StarClan Warrior was wresting a DayClan tom to the ground. The tom knocked the StarClan cat away, then chased after her, in doing so allowing Nightpaw to see _her._

Silentsong was knocked to the ground, then lay there, unmoving, as her life leaked away from her.

Standing above her, his pelt dripping with his blood and Silentsong's, was Daypaw.


	23. A new Star

A new Star

 **THERE WILL BE AN EPILOGUE!**

"Silentsong!" Nightpaw screeched out in pain. Then she flicked her furious gaze to her brother. "Daypaw!" She snarled.

Daypaw looked up, then left his prey and strode over to his sister.

Inside, Daypaw had changed. The battle had made him ready to spill blood- and who's blood would be better to be spilled than Nightpaw's, who he was destined to kill? Battle brings out the worst in cats, and Daypaw's worst was very bad indeed.

"Hello, Nightpaw," He taunted. "Oh, was that your friend back there? Well, I should have made her death a lot more painful, don't you agree?" He smiled unpleasantly at her. "Well, she's not dead yet. Don't worry, I'll make sure her final moments are spent seeing you be killed."

Nightpaw didn't speak. All that calmness she'd felt before, when it was just her and Daypaw and ThunderClan, had gone. It was replaced by the absolute, deepest, strongest, loathing. Then it all came together, every single feeling of hatred, disgust, fury and despise, and burst out of her mouth in a single word.

"Murderer!" She hissed.

It was like a signal. At that word, cats around them froze, stopped fighting, and turned to the centre of the Island. DayClan cats stared, more confused than ever, at Silentsong, and her blood on Daypaw's paws.

"Murderer?" Daypaw pondered this for a moment. "Well… I guess it's how you look at it. You see, if being killed means 'the end', then no, because unfortunately" He sighed. "Silentsong will go to StarClan, so it isn-"

He didn't finish what he was saying though, because Nightpaw leapt at him. The Red snuck over her eyes, but she pushed it back. She wanted to kill Daypaw, and be well aware of what she was doing.

Daypaw staggered, and Nightpaw bit his ear. He yelped, then kicked his back legs into her belly. She rolled off, but moved into a perfect roll, bounced back up, and jumped at him again. He dodged, and Nightpaw collapsed onto the ground. Daypaw didn't hesitate, and ran his claw down her back. She spun, kicking out wildly with her legs, and felt them make contact. Daypaw fell back, one eye forced shut from swelling already. Nightpaw kicks were merciless.

Daypaw jumped at her again, but his balance was off, and Nightpaw darted easily out the way. Refusing to give up, Daypaw grabbed any part of her he could find. Nightpaw's annoyingly long tail. He bit it, then yanked it back. Nightpaw tumbled to the floor. Daypaw pounced on her, his fangs ready to bite her throat. Nightpaw found strength she didn't know she had, and knocked him off. She sprang on top of him, and he couldn't shake her away. The battle froze.

"I will not lose," Daypaw spat through his teeth. "I will kill you!"

Nightpaw looked at him. _Kill him._ She thought. _Kill him now, like he wants to do to you!_ But it was like she was paralysed.

Daypaw stared at her. _Do something! Stop staring at me like that!_

 _Kill him! He deserves to die!_

"I- I can't," Nightpaw croaked. She turned away. "I can't kill him."

It all happened so fast. She turned away from Daypaw. The Clans stared at her, confused. Daypaw sprung up. He leaped at his sister. Nightpaw turned around. Red covered her gaze. Her paw, claws unsheathed, tore through Daypaw's throat. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Silence.

The Red faded, and Nightpaw knew, _knew_ that it would never return. She understood StarClan's gift now. Without the Red she would never had killed her brother.

She stared at his body. Nothing seemed to be happening. It was just her and the corpse, stuck together in an unmoving moment of time.

Cats were staring at her, but she didn't see them.

Then she looked at Silentsong, and everything went back to normal.

She scrambled over to her mentor, croaking out her name.

Silentsong's silver body was red and sticky, her eyes half shut. They flickered open as Nightpaw came over.

"I always knew…" The silver Warrior whispered, fighting unconsciousness.

"You can speak?" Nightpaw whispered, and instantly felt foolish.

Silentsong managed a small laugh.

"Then… Why do't you?" Nightpaw had to know. She just had to.

Silentsong smiled. Now was not the time to share her final secret. "You can hear a lot more when you don't talk," She forced herself to say. Then the darkness forced its way over her vision, and she let it come.

"Oh, Silentsong…" Nightpaw murmured. She sniffed her mentor's body. It smelt slightly of her familiar scent, but mostly of blood and death.

Nettleskip walked up to her friend. She watched the silver body in silence.

"Is she definitely dead?" Nightpaw said, unable to tear her gaze away from Silentsong.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Nightpaw." Nettleskip wrapped her tail around the apprentice.

Whitefoot slipped forward, through the slowly gathering crowd. "I'll show her the way to StarClan." She explained quietly. She walked forward, then touched the very tip of her nose to Silentsong's, and before Nightpaw could blink, the black-and-white Warrior was gone.

Nightpaw watched the sky. Two stars slowly appeared there. She knew one of them was Silentsong's.

"I'll take Daypaw." Hollyburn copied Whitefoot, and disappeared.

Silence once again ruled the Island.

Suddenly, Nightpaw knew what to do. She curled up, pressed her nose into Silentsong's long, thick fur, and began sitting vigil.

Nettleskip waited a moment, then followed her.

All around Silentsong's body, cats formed a circle. Then around those cats another circle was created. And another. Cats from every Clan, StarClan included, lay own to sit vigil for the fallen Warrior.

But Nightpaw didn't notice. Her grief was overpowering.

XXXXX

Though it was still dark, cats could feel the dawn coming. Everything was still silent.

"Nightpaw." Nightpaw rose her head, to see Whitefoot standing by the huge oak in the centre of the island.

"What is it?" Nightpaw asked cautiously.

Whitefoot smiled. "I guessed you might have some questions about the prophecy? Come over here; I'll try to explain."

Nightpaw wound through the maze of cats. She sat down by Whitefoot, and wasted no time. "Explain the prophecy." She demanded.

Whitefoot looked at her. "' Good and evil shall fight once more, Day and Night in a bloodthirsty war, life against death is the way it will be, the forest will split, it has been foreseen," She recited. "Well, 'Day and Night in a bloodthirsty war' you know, and 'The forest will split, it has been foreseen.' When we said 'Good and evil shall fight once more', we meant the fight of good and evil _inside_ you," She pressed her tail to Nightpaw's chest. "'Life against Death is the way it will be' was misinterpreted as one would kill, the other wouldn't. It was meant to mean life (the living cats) against death (StarClan)." She watched Nightpaw. "Does that make sense?"

"Yes." Nightpaw said truthfully.

Whitefoot purred. "I'm glad. Anyway, it's time for StarClan to return to their terri-"

"Not yet." A gold-and-white she-cat walked forward.

Whitefoot's eyes sparkled with realisation, and she stepped back.

"I am Blossomstar, ThunderClan's leader before Thinstar." The new cat explained.

Nightpaw nodded respectfully, still confused.

Blossomstar smiled, then called out in a strong, powerful voice: "I, Blossomstar, former leader of ThunderClan, and current Warrior of StarClan, look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of our noble code, and I accept her as a Warrior in her turn."

Nightpaw blinked, then despite the circumstances, stifled a purr. She was becoming a Warrior!

"Nightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Blossomstar watched her.

Nightpaw looked her in her eye. "I do."

Blossomstar smiled. "Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Nightpaw, from this moment you will be known as Nightstorm, after the storm that was always raging within you. StarClan honours your strength and determination, and so we welcome you as a full Warrior of the Clans."

For a moment, not a single cat spoke. Then Nettleskip, her eyes glowing, began the chant of:

"Nightstorm! Nightstorm! Nightstorm!"

Nightstorm watched the cats call out her name. For a moment she reconsidered her decision, the decision she had made unconsciously when she saw Silentsong die, but then she saw Thinstar, and what he had done to her flew back to her in force.

"Wait," She said the word that had been spoken so much tonight, and waited until the Island had fallen silent. She dipped her head to a confused Blossomstar, then continued. "I thank you for my Warrior name, for I love it. However… You may welcome me as a 'full Warrior of the Clans', but I do not wish to be."

Nettleskip's eyes were confused. _Oh, I'll miss you, Nettleskip!_ Nightstorm thought. _But you must understand that this is something I must do._

She raised her voice. "The way you treated me… I can't forgive. I am leaving the Clans."

Nettleskip ran forward as fast as her ruined leg would allow. "No!" She mewed, her eyes shining with pain. "I lost Silentsong- I can't lose you too!"

Nightstorm watched her sadly, understanding her pain. Then she decided her promise.

"I have to leave," She murmured to her friend. "But," She raised her voice, so every cat could hear. "I promise, that I will return to the Clan's territory, to spend my final moments. I will not die anywhere but here."

Nettleskip blinked, but understood that the Warrior's mind wasn't going to change. She dipped her head. "I will wait for you, and will not stop waiting, until I have seen you once more."

Nightstorm turned to Blossomstar and Whitefoot. The two StarClan cats watched her.

"We will see you again," They smiled.

The sun pushed it's first few shining, golden rays onto the Island, and the StarClan cats faded with the night.

 **Okay! So like I said, there will be an epilogue, so Good As Black is not quite over yet!**

 **And PLEASE take part in the poll, found on my profile. I need know what I am writing next, so I can start planning! Anyway, until next time, Devielle out!**


	24. Epilogue

Epilogue

The sun shone it's first few golden rays over the Lake, chasing away leaf-bare as it did the night. It sent it's warmth out over the land, urging prey out of their holes, and flowers out of their buds. A chirpy breeze ran forward, playing with the leaves, both on the trees and the ground. The few white clouds that had stayed when the sun rose left, noting that today was not a day for rain. The lapping of the Lake against the shore called to all animals, and soon rabbits, mice, voles and squirrel bounded forward, lapped up a few sparkling drops, then disappeared, with fear of both being seen, and missing out on such a perfect day, urging them on.

A glossy black she-cat with shining amber eyes hobbled around the edge of the Lake. Her legs were stiff from age and she bore numerous battle scars. Her progress was slow; she often had to stop and catch her quickly lost breath. But she was determined; she had always been stubborn, from the night she was born, that Nightstorm.

Beside her was a smoky grey tom, with darker, golden eyes. He was as old as his mate, though he didn't seem hindered by the weaknesses that came with old age. However, he did have a dangerous cough. He often had to stop to cough and then breathe, and when he did specks of dark blood littered the ground. But he stayed with his mate, loyal to her as always.

They both knew that they were approaching their final moments of life.

"Are you sure you want to go all the way around the Lake?" The grey tom asked at one point. They were by the moor, and the air was fresh and clear in his sick lungs.

Nightstorm turned from searching the surroundings, to look apologetically at him. "I'm sorry, Ash. I know it's hard; I wouldn't do it if I didn't have to. But I want to tread on each Clan's territory at least once."

Ash was overcome with a coughing fit for a moment. "Don't worry. I can do it," He looked happily at her. "As long as you are here with me."

"As always." Nightstorm promised, and she twined her tail with his.

As they walked through the territories, they both expected to be met by a hostile patrol. But no cat came to greet them, nor to chase them away.

The two started their journey with the sun, at the earliest sign of dawn, yet with the combined weakness of both of them it was well into dusk by the time they completed the full circuit. They arrived back at the tree-bridge, it's old trunk still providing a way to the Island.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Ash asked, eyeing the tree up with caution.

It was true it didn't look safe; the bark was wet from the Lake, and there were several points along the trunk where it peeled away entirely, looking as though many cats had slept and fallen into the Lake. Nightstorm hoped they were all RiverClan.

"If we tread carefully." Nightstorm said.

She gingerly placed her paw down on the bark. It made a 'squelch' sound, and water oozed up around her fur. But underneath the wooden coating the tree was solid and firm, so she unsheathed her claws and continued along the bridge.

One paw step at a time, the two made their way across towards the Island. Several times they slipped, but one cat always helped the other out. By the time they set paw onto solid ground, the first stars were beginning to appear.

Nightstorm hesitated, and turned her gaze to the three, grouped together, that shone the brightest. She knew that one was Silentsong's, but whose were the others?

Ash licked her fur gently. Nightstorm shook herself.

"We'll be up there soon," She told her mate softly. "You, me, Silentsong… Every honourable Warrior."

Ash purred. "Of course we will. And then I will never need to leave your side."

Nightstorm pressed her body against his. For a moment, they stood there, the darkness rising, but enclosed in their own little bubble of light and warmth.

"Come on," Nightstorm murmured finally, when the darkness reigned. "It should be dark enough now."

She slipped forward, and Ash followed her.

With the exception of the Warriors, the blood, and the two dead cats, the Island everything was the same as when she left it, so many seasons ago. She drew comfort from it, and as she did, Nettleskip's promise fell on her. Her eyes hopeful, she scanned the clearing for her friend. There was nothing.

"Nettleskip?" She called out, her voice ringing in the silence. Even the breeze had stopped.

Not a single voice answered.

Nightstorm felt her hope die. Nettleskip had mad a promise, and she'd broken it.

Ash was about to comfort her, when a long and painful cough shook his thin body.

Around Nightstorm's vision, blackness began to worm it's way in. Old age snuck up on her, and attacked her from behind; every injury she'd ever earned came back to haunt her; her joints ached, her back groaned; breath refused to journey up her throat. Nightstorm knew that she was going to die soon.

Nightstorm realised, as Ash choked for air, that this time he wouldn't recover. He was going to die now, just as she was. "Shh," She whispered. His legs trembled, and he fell to the floor. Nightstorm curled up next to him. Slowly, everything darkened, then the pain ceased and everything went black.

XXXX

Black.

It was comforting, that colour. It meant nothingness; no pain, no death, no sadness. Nightstorm just wanted to stay in the abyss of darkness forever. But to remain there would also mean no joy, no love, no happiness, and so she forced herself out of it, and into the world.

She blinked open her eyes, and was unpleasantly surprised to find that her sight hadn't improved.

 _I thought in StarClan we were meant to be all healed!_ She thought, disgruntled.

She stood up to find her bones and muscles and joints were still aching to.

Sighing, she looked around her, expecting the sparkling forests of StarClan's hunting grounds. Instead, she found herself on the Island again, and nothing had changed.

Beside her, Ash was waking up. He stood up and felt the pain of his illness, then turned to Nightstorm quizzically. "I thought we were meant to be healed." He asked.

"I did too," Nightstorm replied. She looked around her. "But it doesn't look as though we're in StarClan."

They looked around them, begging to see something different, but it all looked just the same as when they'd died.

"Wait, what's that?" Ash called out suddenly.

Nightstorm peered where he was pointing, just above the trees, but her dying vision made sure that it took her several moments to see it.

It started as a silver dot, but as it came closer it grew and changed shape and became a cat whose features were recognisable as-

"Nettleskip!" Nightstorm yowled out.

Nettleskip ran forward, her twisted leg slowing her but only minutely. As she comes forward Nightstorm notices that she's walking on air; it's as if there's a hill and she's speeding down it. A few seconds later she lands on the ground.

Nightstrom runs forward and pressed her nose into her fur. "I've missed you," She murmured, overcome with happiness.

"I've missed you too." Nettleskip whispered back, licking her ear gently.

Slowly they seperate. Nightstorm stand by Ash, more than ready to join StarClan and meet her friends once again.

"Ash," Nettleskip greeted the tom. "It's good to finally meet you."

"You too." Ash replies, dipping his head respectfully.

Happy to see her friend and her mate getting along, Nightstorm turned to more important topics. "You're in StarClan?" She asked Nettleskip. "How?"

Nettleskip laughed. "I don't live forever. It was old age that took me finally, Nightstorm."

Nightstorm frowned. She'd never felt that Nettleskip was that old, but she must be seasons older than her, now that she actually gives it some thought.

She directs the conversation down a different path. "Where are we? Why do I still find it hard to see and hear and walk?" And spying Nettlekip's wounded leg, she added. "Why is you're leg still wounded? _Do_ we get healed when we enter StarClan?"

Nettleskip smiled. "My leg wasn't healed because I asked for it to be left." She looked at Nightstorm's confusion. "Well, my name wouldn't fit if they healed it, would it?"

She glances at the sky.

"Yes, you do get healed when you join StarClan," She mewed. "But you're not in StarClan now, which is why you're still hurt by old age." Guessing Nightstorm's next question, she explains, "These are the waiting grounds. It's where dead cats go, to be lead the way to StarClan."

Nightstorm digests this. "So, you're showing me to StarClan?"

Her question wasn't answered, because another shining dot leaps down from the sky. Her silver pelt shines with stars, and her fur is as thick as ever.

Silentsong pads forward, and Nightstorm breathes in her warm scent.

Nightstorm's former mentor whispers, almost inaudibly, "I've missed you." Then she steps back, and stands next to Nettleskip.

As happy as she was to see her friends again, Nightstorm felt impatient to lose her deafness. "Are we ready to go to StarClan now?" She asked hopefully.

"We're waiting for one more." Nettlekip explains, glancing at the sky. "It's tradition for cats to see their lost ones before they enter StarClan."

"But I've seen you two," Nightstorm asked, puzzled.

Then another shining mark appeared over the trees, but as it turns to a cat Nightstorm fluffed up her fur and narrowed her eyes.

Daypaw stood before her, his head ducked, his eyes refusing to meet hers. He was as as well-fed and looked after in StarClan as in the forest, but instead of teasing her as he so often did in ThunderClan, the words he murmured were:

"I'm sorry. About… Everything."

Nightstorm stared at him in surprise. This wasn't the confident cat she knew before the Battle.

"It's just…" Finally he met her eyes, and she saw embarrassment, sadness and… Defeat. _He knows I'm not going to forgive him._ "When…" He took a deep breath. "When all you've ever know is that you're the good one… The hero; The saviour… That no matter what you do it will be right… Well, you start to believe it. And then… Well, I'm sorry. Really."

Nightstorm stared at him. He wasn't the Daypaw who she hated anymore. He was some other cat, welcomed to StarClan because he knew what he was doing was wrong, all his life, even though he ignored it. In his final moments, he gave in, to it, and let her kill him. That's why he stood before her with stars in his pelt, instead of hunting in the Dark Forest.

"It's all right," Nightstorm whispered, barely aware of what she was saying. "We all make mistakes, just some worse than others."

Daypaw stared at her, trying to comprehend that she was forgiving him. "Some a lot worse than others." He muttered, wondering whether she was tricking him.

Nightstorm padded forward, and touched her nose to his. She felt her old age fall away, but she didn't care what he was giving her. "I forgive you." It was as if her words were magic. Daypaw's eyes lit up, and he purred loudly.

"Then welcome to StarClan." He said.

They turned around, and leapt into the stars. Ash, Nettleskip, and Silentsong followed, and as they walked up into the sky, Nightstorm's and Daypaw's tails entwined, and Ash pressed himself against his mate, and Silentsong and Nettleskip padded alongside each other.

Friends united, for the beginning of forever.

 **And so, Good as Black has come to an end. Thank you all for your support! Keep and eye out for my next story, the votes are still open. Poll found on my profile.**

 **And so, for the last time on Good As Black, Devielle out!**


End file.
